EQUUS reprises Laurie Bonner’s article from last fall to remind horse owners of the importance of protecting their animals from eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EED) and western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE).
EEE easily ranks among the worst diseases a horse can get. Caused by a virus that is spread mainly by mosquitoes, the disease damages the horse’s central nervous system—his brain and spinal cord.
Source: EQUUS, November 16, 2017. Link.
Small birds, especially sparrows and finches, are the primary reservoir species for EEE, meaning that when bitten by infected mosquitoes, they can harbor and amplify the virus without becoming sick themselves. One mosquito species, Culiseta melanura, which bites only birds, is the primary vector for spreading the EEE virus among local bird populations.
WEE virus is also amplified by small birds and is spread primarily by a different mosquito vector, Culex tarsalis, which breeds in irrigation ditches in agricultural areas as well as in natural ponds and waterways west of the Mississippi River. The virus is still found in surveys of birds and mosquitoes, and an outbreak remains a possibility.
INSIGHTS: With mosquito season in full swing, many horses will be trailered for trail rides, as well county and state fairs and rodeos in the coming weeks. Sharing this information might help avoid an EEE or WEE wreck for clients and their horses.