The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has
confirmed the first case of Eastern Equine
Encephalitis (EEE) in a Virginia horse this year. The horse, a
12-year-old miniature mare, was from Chesapeake and had not been vaccinated for
EEE.
EEE causes inflammation or swelling of
the brain and spinal cord. The disease is also called "sleeping sickness.”
Symptoms include impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling,
inability to swallow, irregular staggering gait, paralysis, convulsions and
death. Once a horse has been bitten by an infected mosquito, it may take three
to 10 days for signs of the disease to appear.
Last year Virginia had one reported case
of EEE, in a horse from Suffolk. The
disease has a mortality rate of 80 to 90 percent, so prevention is a key part
of equine health. Vaccination and mosquito control/avoidance are the
central elements of prevention.
In a May 2015 press release, Dr. Richard
Wilkes, VDACS’ State Veterinarian, encouraged horse owners to work with their
veterinarians to plan a vaccination schedule that would protect their horses
from EEE and West Nile Virus (WNV). Available vaccines are generally effective
in drastically reducing the incidence of
both EEE and WNV in horses. For the vaccine to be effective it must be handled
and administered properly and be given at least two weeks before the horse is
exposed to the virus. Additionally, to stimulate full immunity, horses must be
vaccinated twice, about 30 days apart, the first year of vaccination. The
vaccines are effective for six to 12 months, so horses should be revaccinated
at least annually. In an area where the disease occurs frequently, such as
southeast and Tidewater Virginia, most veterinarians recommend vaccination
every six months.
In addition to vaccination, it is a good
idea to avoid mosquito infested areas and to take measures to reduce the local
mosquito population to minimize the chances of mosquitos biting your horse.
For more
information, please contact VDACS’ Office of the State Veterinarian at
804.692.0601 or consult your local veterinarian.
Elaine
Lidholm
Director
of Communications
Virginia
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
102
Governor Street
Richmond
VA 23219
804.786.7686
