2009 PRESS RELEASES
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August 10, 2009
ADDITIONAL CASES OF EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS IN VIRGINIA ANIMALS
~ Second horse and a goat test positive ~
Contact: Elaine Lidholm, 804.786.7686
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has confirmed the second positive case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in a horse for 2009, as well as a suspected case in a goat. The horse, a four-year-old miniature mare from Suffolk, became ill on July 27 and was euthanized July 28 because of the severity of her symptoms. She was necropsied at the VDACS Regional Animal Health Laboratory in Ivor, and tests at the state’s Consolidated Laboratory later confirmed EEE. She had not been vaccinated for the disease. This is the second case of EEE in horses this year. The first, a two-year-old female draft cross from Chesapeake, also had not been vaccinated.
The goat, a seven-year-old Nubian doe, was from Chesapeake. It demonstrated severe abnormal neurologic signs and specific antibodies to the EEE virus. “It is unusual to see EEE in a goat,” said Dr. Joseph Garvin, VDACS’ Director of Laboratory Services, “and that may indicate a very high level of EEE virus in the environment.” Garvin reported that in addition to confirmed cases in two horses and the suspected case in the goat, VDACS is waiting for test results on an emu from Chesapeake.
The Virginia Department of Health reported that, to date, 101 mosquito pools in the Tidewater area have tested positive for EEE, as well as 30 sentinel chickens. “That could indicate that we are on track for one of our heaviest EEE years since Virginia began testing mosquitoes for EEE in 1998. This increases the risk of EEE transmission to people, particularly in the coastal regions of Virginia. Therefore, persons should minimize their exposure to mosquitoes. ”
VDACS advises horse owners to vaccinate their horses every six to twelve months against EEE. This is particularly important in the Southeastern region of Virginia, where many veterinarians recommend the six-month vaccination interval. Vaccination includes an initial shot, with a booster six weeks later, then boosters every six to twelve months. Vaccinations must be administered correctly and in a timely fashion to be effective. There is no vaccine for goats or emus.
Generally, EEE is transmitted by mosquitoes. Typical symptoms include staggering, circling, depression, loss of appetite and sometimes fever and blindness. There is no cure for the disease, but highly effective vaccinations are available for horses. Other prevention methods that help to protect all species include destroying standing water breeding sites for mosquitoes, use of insect repellents such as DEET, and removing animals from mosquito-infested areas during peak biting times, usually dusk to dawn.
For more information on EEE in animals, consumers should contact the Office of the State Veterinarian at 804.692.0601 or consult their local veterinarians. More information on EEE in humans is available from the Virginia Department of Health which has district offices in every part of the state.