Mosquito-Born Viruses Kill

Spring is here, and it’s time for horse owners to protect their horses from two serious and potentially fatal viruses spread by mosquitoes: Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV). Foxhunting Life reminds you to contact your vet and schedule spring vaccinations.

The New York State Department of Agriculture notes that cases of EEE in horses have been on the rise since 2009. In that state, more than 90% of the cases were fatal, and survivors of the disease are generally unusable and even unsafe to be around.

Although EEE cannot be transmitted between infected horses and humans, New York State has experienced fatalities in both horses and humans as a result of the disease in each of the past three years.

Posted April 12, 2012