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New Equine Encephalitis cases in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has had four cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in horses so far this year.

Dr. Julie Ann McGwin from the Division of Animal Health says two horses from Forest and Vilas counties had the disease before the end of August.  Now, McGwin tells Brownfield two additional horses have been euthanized.  She says, “One of them was a horse from Waupaca county.  That animal was a middle aged to older Haflinger gelding that came back positive late Friday, and then we had a report of another Vilas county horse, and this was a 12-year-old Quarter Horse mare.”

The doctor says it appears this will not be the last of the disease this year. “I talked to one veterinarian, and he’s got three tests pending right now, so I just know from talking with him what he has seen and there may be other ones out there.”

McGwin says triple-E is fatal for horses more than 90% of the time, and West Nile is fatal more than 30% of the time.  She says horse owners should talk to their veterinarian about vaccinating for mosquito-borne illnesses.  McGwin says none of the four horses were vaccinated.

Horses usually get Equine Encephalitis, but McGwin says they have two positive emu cases, and it’s possible for mosquitoes to transmit the disease to people.  She says the encephalitis cases have been in central Wisconsin, and the West Nile cases have been in the western part of the state.  McGwin says the mosquito-borne diseases cannot be passed directly between animals and other animals or people.