Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is advising equine owners to vaccinate their animals against Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV). “Mosquito-breeding season in North Carolina lasts from spring until the first frost and horses are at risk if not properly vaccinated,” Troxler stated. He highlighted the severe impact of these diseases, noting that “EEE is fatal 90 percent of the time in horses and WNV has a fatality rate of 30 percent. However, both diseases are preventable by vaccination.”
Currently, there have been no cases of EEE or WNV reported this year, but Troxler pointed out that last year saw five cases of EEE and two cases of WNV.
State Veterinarian Dr. Mike Martin emphasizes the importance of discussing vaccination protocols with veterinarians. Horses, mules, and donkeys with no vaccination history require multiple initial injections. To mitigate mosquito exposure, owners should address standing water, use stalls at night, insect screens, and repellents, and avoid lights after dusk.
EEE symptoms include “impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling, inability to swallow, irregular staggering gait, paralysis, convulsions and death.” Symptoms of WNV include “fever, weakness or paralysis of hind limbs, impaired vision, head pressing, seizures and aimless wandering.”
These diseases can spread via mosquito bites to people, horses, and birds, but there is no evidence of transmission between horses, birds, or people through direct contact.
Troxler also advised ensuring equine infectious anemia (EIA) testing, known as the Coggins test, is current alongside rabies vaccinations. He warned of the risk: “We have had a positive case of rabies in livestock already this year. All livestock are naturally curious animals, which puts them at risk for a bite if a rabid animal gets through their fence line.”
