Redmond horse tests positive for West Nile virus

A horse in Redmond has tested positive for West Nile virus, the first in Oregon this year and the first in Deschutes County in recent years, health officials said Friday.

West Nile virus is spread to humans and animals through infected mosquitoes.

Infected horses may display one or more of the following symptoms: Lack of coordination and stumbling (most commonly described symptom), depression or apprehension, anorexia (off feed), weakness of the hind limbs, falling down, inability to rise, flaccid paralysis of the lower lip (droopy lip), muscle twitching, grinding teeth, inability to swallow, head pressing, colicky appearance, aimless wandering, hypersensitivity and excitability, excessive sweating, disorientation, convulsions, and possible total paralysis.

Certain species of mosquitoes carry WNv and acquire the virus when they feed on infected birds. WNv is not spread through casual contact such as touching or kissing a person with the virus. There is a WNv vaccine for horses but not for humans.

Taking precautions to avoid mosquito bites can prevent infections in humans:

Eliminate Mosquitoes Around Your Home:

The first line of defense against mosquito-borne diseases is to avoid mosquitoes. Eliminate mosquito-breeding areas (standing water) around your home such as puddles or containers that hold water. This includes old tires, buckets and cans. Change the water in pet dishes, birdbaths or stock tanks at least once a week. Consider using products sold in garden stores containing larvicidal bacteria to treat ponds or bodies of water that cannot be eliminated to kill mosquito larvae. Inspect all window and door screens at home to make sure they are free of holes.

Protect Yourself:

Stay indoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. When outdoors, wear long sleeve shirts and long pants. Choose and use a repellent that contains one of these active ingredients: DEET, picardin (odorless), oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR-3535.

West Nile Virus: What are the Symptoms? Who is at Risk?

WNv can be a mild to serious illness and can affect the central nervous system. Symptoms vary and develop between 3 and 14 days after an infected mosquito bites a person. There is no specific treatment for the virus.

Approximately 80 percent of people who are infected with WNv will show NO symptoms at all. Up to 20 percent of people infected will display symptoms that can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands, and skin rash. Symptoms can last from a few days up to several weeks.

Less than 1 percent of people infected with WNv will develop serious illness. This may include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, muscle weakness or paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks; neurological effects may be permanent.

Young children and adults over 50 are at higher risk of getting sick. If you or someone you know is at risk and develops symptoms, seek medical care.

For more information about West Nile virus, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/

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Oregon Dept. of Agriculture release:

A Deschutes County horse has tested positive forWest Nile Virus (WNV), marking the first detection of the disease in Oregonhorses for the 2016 season. The affected horse is a 14-year-old mare with nohistory of vaccination for WNV.The horse is under veterinary care and isresponding to treatment.

Last year, six horses inOregon were confirmed to be infected with WNV.

“Horses become infected withthe virus the same way humans become infected, by being bitten by infectedmosquitoes,” says Brad LeaMaster, State Veterinarian with the Oregon Departmentof Agriculture. “I would like to take this opportunity to remindhorse ownersto contact their local veterinarian regarding proper West Nile Virusvaccination protocols during this time of increased risk.”

Along with vaccination, horseowners can protect their animals by controlling mosquitoes and mosquitobreeding areas. Approved repellents can also provide temporary protection.

WNV causes encephalitis andaffects the central nervous system. One of the most common signs of WNV inhorses is weakness or incoordination in the hindquarters. There may bestumbling, leaning to one side, and toe dragging. As the diseaseprogresses,paralysis may follow. Fever is sometimes evident, as well as changes inbehavior such as depression and/or uneasiness. Horse owners who suspectWNV infection should contact their veterinarian immediately. Early treatmentcan often decrease theseverity of the disease. About 30-40 percent of horsesthat show signs of the illness will die. The majority of WNV cases inhorses occur in the months of August and September, which corresponds to peakmosquito activity.

The Oregon Health Authority(OHA) works with mosquito control agencies and local county health departmentsto test mosquitoes for WNV. To date, positive WNV mosquito pools have beendetected in Baker, Union, Umatilla, Morrow, and Lane counties.

OHA maintains a West NileVirus activity webpage at < http://go.usa.gov/xDhGh >.

The detection of the virus byOregon Health Authority’s mosquito surveillance program provides a warning anda reminder to horse owners to make sure their horse’s WNV vaccination status iscurrent.

For more information on WestNile Virus, go to< http://go.usa.gov/xDh7z >.