Lowndes County, Georgia, Horse Contracts EEE

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service indicates that Georgia reported 25 equine EEE cases in 2013.
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South Georgia public health officials are encouraging area residents to protect themselves and their animals against mosquito-borne illnesses after a horse in Lowndes County tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and mosquito pools have tested positive for both EEE and West Nile Virus (WNV) this season.

“While we see these types of reports each year, it’s still important for us to remember the importance of preventing mosquito bites whenever possible,” says Courtney Sheeley, public information officer for the Georgia Department of Public Health South Health District. “Mosquito borne illnesses can cause severe sickness, brain damage, or death in some cases.”

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service indicates that Georgia reported 25 equine EEE cases in 2013.

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

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