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Date: September 14, 2018
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
AUGUSTA – The Maine
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (Maine DACF) announced
today that a horse showing neurological signs last week in York County tested
positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). The horse is currently undergoing
supportive veterinary care and does not pose a threat of infection to any other
animals or humans. The horse was unvaccinated against the disease.
WNV is a virus
that is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. One pool of mosquitoes has tested positive
for WNV in York County this year. This
is the first confirmed case of WNV in horses in Maine on record. WNV has been
diagnosed in horses this year in nearby states such as New York.
“WNV and Eastern
Equine Encephalitis (EEE), which are carried by mosquitoes, are viral diseases
that cause similar signs, and are often fatal in unvaccinated horses. Both viruses can affect human beings if they
are bitten by mosquitoes that carry the viruses,” said Dr. Michele Walsh, Maine
state veterinarian. “People cannot acquire WNV or EEE infection from
sick animals, only from the bite of an infected mosquito.”
The Maine Center
for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) and Maine DACF suggest Mainers
take the following steps to protect themselves and their animals from EEE and
WNV:
- Wear long sleeves and long pants
- Use an EPA approved repellent on skin and clothes
- Take extra precautions at dusk and dawn
- Use screens on your windows and doors
- Drain artificial sources of standing water where you and your
animals live, work, and play
- Vaccinate horses against WNV and EEE
Both WNV and EEE
viruses are carried by mosquitoes, which pick them up from infected wild
birds. The viruses replicate in birds,
which act as natural reservoirs for the diseases.
Signs of the
diseases in horses may include:
stumbling or poor balance, unusual behavior and lethargy. Other symptoms include head pressing,
circling, tremors, seizures and eventual coma. “WNV and EEE are preventable in
horses through vaccination,” Walsh advised.
“If more than six months has elapsed since a horse has been vaccinated,
a booster vaccination may be needed.” While
EEE has not been detected in Maine so far in 2018, it has been detected here in
recent years, and has been detected in neighboring states and provinces this
year. Horse owners should contact their
own veterinarians to decide if booster shots are needed. Revaccination is recommended if more than six
months have passed since the last vaccination when exposure to infected
mosquitoes is likely. Vaccinating horses regularly is the best way to protect
them against these dangerous diseases, and is safe, effective and essential.
“This WNV activity in mosquitoes and horses
should serve as a reminder to the public that humans are at risk from this
disease as well, and should take the appropriate steps to protect themselves,”
said Dr. Siiri Bennett, State Epidemiologist for the Maine CDC. Although many persons infected with WNV have
no apparent illness, those who develop symptoms do so usually three to 10 days
after the bite of an infected mosquito. One
in five people infected develop a fever with symptoms such as headache, body
aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, and most recover
completely. Less than 1% of people
develop a serious neurologic illness such as encephalitis or meningitis, and
approximately 10% of those may die.
Maine’s Health
and Environmental Testing Laboratory performs arboviral testing for mosquitoes,
large animals and humans. Submission
information can be found at www.mainepublichealth.gov/lab.
For more
information:
Maine CDC’s
arboviral website: http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/vector-borne/index.shtml
Maine’s weekly
arboviral surveillance reports: http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/vector-borne/arboviral-surveillance.shtml
HETL’s submission
form and information: www.mainepublichealth.gov
Department of
Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry's Animal Health website: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ahw/animal_health/
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