Agriculture
Secretary Art Brown Jr. said today that the death
last week of a 20-year-old gelding in Mt Laurel,
Burlington County, has been attributed to infection
with the West Nile virus (WNV). According to State
Veterinarian Dr. Ernest Zirkle, the horse became
ill on August 29, showing signs of hind limb weakness
and abnormal movement and was euthanized on August
30 after its condition worsened. NJDA's animal
health laboratory tested blood samples from the
horse for both Eastern and Western equine encephalitis
as well as WNV. The Department of Health and Senior
Services (DHSS) laboratory also tested samples
for rabies and WNV and samples were sent to the
National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL)
in Ames, Iowa for confirmation.* Test results confirmed
the presence of WNV only. Horses contract WNV when
infected mosquitoes bite them. The disease cannot
be spread from horse-to-horse or from an infected
horse to humans or domestic pets. Not all horses
that contract WNV become ill. However, last year,
28 horses in New Jersey exhibited neurological
signs consistent with encephalitis and were diagnosed
with WNV infection. Of those, eight were euthanized.
Very few (4 percent) of the stablemates of the
affected horses showed were infected but did not
exhibit any signs of the disease. In order to minimize
the risk of WNV infection, NJDA, in cooperation
with DHSS, NJDEP and the State Mosquito Control
Commission have offered horse owners, homeowners
and veterinarians a variety of information, through
direct mailings and on NJDA's web site at http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture/westnile.htm.
Recommendations include decreasing mosquito habitats
near homes and stable areas by emptying standing
water from cans, tires, swimming pool covers, clogged
gutters or other reservoirs which can serve as
mosquito breeding sites and by frequently changing
the fresh water in drinking troughs to prevent
them from becoming breeding sites. Last month,
a limited supply of a conditionally-licensed WNV
vaccine was made available to licensed veterinarians
in New Jersey, Connecticut, New York and Florida.
The manufacturer expects to have sufficient vaccine
to meet national demand in the near future. Horse
owners interested in having their horses vaccinated
should contact their veterinarians for additional
information or consultation about their animals. WNV,
like other viral diseases affecting horses' neurological
systems, MUST be reported to the State Veterinarian,
609-292-3965, within 48 hours. This information
is essential to initiate the procedures used to
protect other horses and humans from the mosquitoes
carrying the virus. This year, the first horse
diagnosed with WNV was located in Florida. As of
September 4, 2001, a total of 66 equine cases have
been reported involving the following states: Louisiana,
Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut.
For information about human WNV disease in New
Jersey, the collection and reporting of dead birds
infected with the virus, or to report areas of
standing water where mosquitoes breed, contact
your local health department or mosquito control
agencies or visit the NJDA website mentioned above,
the state WNV website at http://www.state.nj.us/governor/westnile/,
DHSS (www.state.nj.us/health),
DEP (www.state.nj.us/dep/mosquito),
and the CDC (www.cdc.gov).
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* Confirmatory tests, performed at NVSL, are required for a definitive
diagnosis to be accepted by USDA.
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