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Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)
Georgia Man Dies Health officials are sending out
warnings concerning EEE. A man in Georgia died from the
disease in late June, and Florida, Georgia, North Carolina,
and South Carolina have reported the highest number of horse
cases of EEE in years. The disease kills almost all
unvaccinated horses. EEE is a serious disease that can lead
to encephalitis, and is considered to be more deadly than
West Nile Virus in humans and horses. EEE is transmitted by
mosquitoes that pick up the virus from infected avian
populations.
Although human cases are infrequent, the human fatality
rate can be as high as 50%. Experts warn that EEE is
expected to continue moving up the east coast, and are
warning people to use similar precautions against EEE as
they would against WNV. These precautions include wearing
protective clothing and using insect repellent while
outdoors and getting rid of mosquito habitats, such as
standing water, around the home.
The Department of Environmental Protection in
Pennsylvania has reported that the wet spring weather has
led to an abundance of mosquitoes in the state this year.
Horse owners in the northeast and mid-Atlantic areas should
be informed that EEE may be more of a risk than usual this
year and that the vaccine is available and effective. They
should also be reminded of the availability of the West Nile
Virus vaccine. There is no vaccine available for humans
against WNV or EEE.
Outbreak of horse tail theft in Colorado puzzles and
angers horse owners
An intruder broke into a pasture and unevenly cut off the
hoof-length tails of half a dozen Belgian draft horses and
ponies. Other horse owners in Elbert County, Colorado, have
also reported tail thefts, while similar cases have been
recorded in recent years in Iowa, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania
and Florida.
While the animals were not injured, as the tails were cut
off below the fleshy dock, horses rely on their tails to
swat away flies in summer and owners say they will take 10
years to grow back. But police are puzzled as to the motive
behind the crime. Horse owners said it would not make
commercial sense to steal tails in such limited quantities,
as horsehair fetches no more than $80 a pound.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus updates
Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner
Charles Bronson is sending out an early reminder to horse
owners to get their animals vaccinated for mosquito borne
diseases especially in the northern parts of the state which
have received significant rain. Eastern Equine Encephalitis
and West Nile Virus are the two major equine diseases animal
health officials are concerned about. The heavy rain and
flood conditions have left a lot of standing water in many
areas of North Florida, providing breeding grounds for
mosquitoes which carry the diseases.
As of April 15, there are six confirmed cases of EEE and
no cases of West Nile Virus. Four of the EEE cases affected
horses that had not been vaccinated, one was an incomplete
vaccination and it isn't known if the horse was vaccinated
in the 6th case. The impacted horses have been found in five
different counties, including Volusia, Gilchrist, Levy, Lake
and Flagler. The numbers are down from last year but Bronson
wants to ensure that downward trend continues. Last year at
this time there were twelve cases of EEE, however, peak
season for transmission of these diseases occurs during the
summer months and with the recent rains this year could be
worse than average. With the potential for a jump in the
mosquito population after floodwaters recede, I think its
prudent to urge horse owners now to get their animals
vaccinated, Bronson said. These vaccinations are crucial for
preventing the contraction of these serious, deadly
diseases.
EEE is a viral disease that affects the central nervous
system and is transmitted to horses by infected mosquitoes.
Signs of the virus include fever, listlessness, stumbling,
circling, coma and usually death. The disease is fatal in
horses in 90 percent of the cases. Bronson says the majority
of cases of EEE and West Nile Virus can be prevented through
proper vaccinations against mosquito borne illnesses and he
is reminding horse owners that now is the time to take
action. Horse owners are urged to check with their
veterinarian to make sure their animals have received
current vaccinations and booster shots against WNV and EEE,
and that these shots are kept up to date.
Could killer horse virus spread amongst humans?
Australia is suffering the biggest outbreak of the highly
virulent Hendra virus since the disease was identified in
1994. Now a change in its symptoms in Queensland horses is
raising fears that new strains may have emerged - and even
that a strain capable of spreading from human-to-human could
appear. "The different clinical presentations, and some very
preliminary DNA sequencing data, suggest that the Hendra
virus may be somewhat different in this outbreak," says
epidemiologist Hume Field of the Australian Biosecurity
Cooperative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases
in Brisbane.
"It all suggests that there may be a cluster of Hendra
virus strains, all closely related, but differing in their
pathogenesis and infectivity," he says. Two people, both
veterinary clinic staff, who became infected roughly four
weeks ago, remain in hospital. Fifty more people who may
have had contact with horses carrying the virus will undergo
a second set of tests over the next few days.
At least seven horses have become infected with the
virus, and five have died. Thirty-six horses will be tested
for a second time tomorrow, and over 90 horses have been
tested since the start of the outbreak, says chief
veterinary officer Ron Glanville of Biosecurity Queensland
in Brisbane.
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