Iberville Parish, Louisiana, Horse Tests Positive for EEE

The affected horse was not vaccinated against EEE.
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An unvaccinated horse in Iberville Parish, Louisiana, has tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry reported July 25. As a result, Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain, DVM, is reminding horse owners to vaccinate their animals for both EEE and West Nile virus (WNV).

“This is the time of year mosquitoes are more prevalent,” Strain said. “Horses are infected the same way humans are infected—by being bitten by infected mosquitoes—so everyone needs to take extra precautionary measures at this time.”

A viral disease, EEE affects the central nervous system and is transmitted to horses by infected mosquitoes. Clinical signs of EEE include moderate to high fever, depression, lack of appetite, cranial nerve deficits (facial paralysis, tongue weakness, difficulty swallowing), behavioral changes (aggression, self-mutilation, or drowsiness), gait abnormalities, or severe central nervous system signs, such as head-pressing, circling, blindness, and seizures. The course of EEE can be swift, with death occurring two to three days after onset of clinical signs despite intensive care. Horses that survive might have long-lasting impairments and neurologic problems.

Horse owners should also consult their private practicing veterinarian to determine an appropriate disease prevention plan for their horses. Vaccines have proven to be a very effective prevention tool. Horses that have been vaccinated in past years will need an annual booster shot; in areas with a long mosquito season, veterinarians might recommend two boosters per year—one in the spring and one in the fall. However, if an owner did not vaccinate their animal in previous years, the horse will need the two-shot vaccination series within a three- to six-week period

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