Equine West Nile Threat Increases During Mosquito Season
Edited Press Release
July 13, 2016
Vaccination and proper management techniques can help offer horses protection from disease.
Vaccination and proper management techniques can help offer horses protection from disease.
The affected horse, a Thoroughbred from Suffolk, had been vaccinated and is recovering.
Rising temperatures and mosquito populations prompted officials to encourage owners to vaccinate horses against WNV.
The unvaccinated Thoroughbred mare from San Diego County is recovering slowly.
Many diseases were once considered geographically restricted. But disease migration has eliminated that complacency.
Diagnosed diseases include vesicular stomatitis, EHV, strangles, influenza, piroplasmosis, rabies, and more.
The current equine case counts stand at one in North Carolina, five in South Carolina, and 11 in Florida.
The Saddlebred mare from Suffolk was euthanized June 23. Her vaccination record is unknown.
Officials reported June 30 that the horse from Osceola County appears to have been infected with both viruses.
The EIA-positive mare was euthanized and a second exposed horse was transferred to a newly quarantined premises.
A Polk County horse tested positive for EEE while a Osceola County contracted WNV. Neither had a vaccination history.
Six Florida horses and four South Carolina horses have tested positive for EEE thus far in 2016.
Confirmatory tests are currently being run after a nonracing horse at Arapahoe Park tested positive for EIA.
Eastern equine encephalitis was confirmed in horses in a South Carolina county that borders North Carolina.
Chatham County Mosquito Control has detected EEE in mosquito populations in the western part of the country.
Owners are encouraged to vaccinate their horses prior to the onset of peak mosquito season.
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