West Nile Becoming More Prevalent

West Nile Becoming More Prevalent. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

Mosquitoes are on the prowl or perhaps buzz is the correct word. These insecto-vampires are known to spread a number of diseases with their bite including West Nile disease after they have fed on infected birds. This year we have seen a much larger horse population that has become infected with the West Nile virus according to Mike Louisell with the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

LOUISELL: We seem to be getting a lot of reports, confirmed reports of West Nile virus in horses. We’re certainly ahead of last year. Last year at this very same day we only had 6 confirmed horse cases of West Nile virus infection. This year in 2009 we’re up to horse number 17 and we do have horse cases in 5 different counties.

Louisell says so far those 5 counties are clustered in the south central part of the state.

LOUISELL: Adams County, Benton, Kittitas, Yakima and now Grant County, Grand Coulee and in Ephrata. The first cases of West Nile virus confirmed and announced on July 24, so between then and August 18, we have 17 confirmed cases.

In 2008 there were a total of 41 cases of West Nile confirmed in horses so it appears that mosquito activity is up considerably this year.

LOUISELL: It is good to consider vaccinating your horse and getting proper booster shots but that’s better to do in the spring time. If you don’t have those shots now maybe the best recommendation is to ensure that your area where you’re having your horses is as low as mosquito population as possible and taking measures to prevent your horses from being out during dusk or dawn times when mosquitoes are more active.

It is also good to make sure there are no standing areas of stagnant water that can be breeding grounds. So far only 2 horse cases have been confirmed in Oregon but we have seen a number of human infections as well.

LOUISELL: And I understand those have not been 100% confirmed by the state Department of Health and the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia for final confirmation but I understand the process is underway for checking through CDC as well.

West Nile virus is fatal in about one-third of all horses that show clinical signs, although most horses do not become ill and show no symptoms at all.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.