Virginia Confirms Fifth, Sixth Cases of Equine EEE for 2016

Both horses were from Suffolk and were euthanized. Neither had up-to-date vaccinations.
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The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has announced the fifth and sixth cases of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in horses in the commonwealth this year. Both horses—a male Paint horse and an Arabian filly—were from Suffolk and both were euthanized. Neither had up-to-date vaccinations.

Virginia has confirmed four additional cases earlier this year: two others from Suffolk, one from Chesapeake, and one from Prince George County.

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; fatality rates reach 75-80% among horses. Horses that survive might have long-lasting impairments and neurologic problems.

“One of the reasons most veterinarians recommend a six-month vaccination schedule in Tidewater Virginia is because of the prevalence of mosquitos in the area,” said Charles Broaddus, DVM, state veterinarian for the VDACS

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