Agriculture
Secretary Art Brown Jr. said today that the first
two Sussex County cases of West Nile virus (WNV)
in horses have just been confirmed along with an
additional case in Atlantic County. The Sussex
County horses are a seven-year-old quarter horse
stallion that succumbed to infection from the virus
on September 4 and a 20-year-old gelding pony that
is recovering from the infection. The two horses
were stabled over 10 miles apart from each other
in Sussex County. A third case in the Hammonton
area of Atlantic County was also confirmed in a
14-year-old thoroughbred mare. This horse had recovered
from WNV but died recently from non-related causes.
Not all horses that contract WNV become ill. These
cases raise to six the number of equine that have
shown symptoms of WNV with three of the six euthanized
because of the disease's effects. The deaths occurred
in Cape May, Ocean and Sussex Counties. NJDA's
Division of Animal Health has collected samples
from all stablemates of these animals and will
take a second sample four to six weeks following
the first. The samples will be tested later this
fall at a USDA-approved laboratory to derive a
better picture of the extent and biological impact
of WNV infection in New Jersey horses. NJDA veterinarians
are also collecting information from each affected
stable in an effort to discern any patterns of
risk that can be used to provide additional recommendations
for protective measures horse owners can take to
safeguard their animals. Horses become infected
with WNV when infected mosquitoes bite them. In
the absence of a vaccine or cure for WNV, preventive
measures become critical. The disease cannot be
spread from horse-to-horse or from an infected
horse to humans or domestic pets. In cooperation
with the state Department of Environmental Protection,
Department of Health and Senior Services and USDA,
NJDA has launched a proactive campaign to educate
horse owners about the precautions they must take
to decrease mosquito habitat, virtually the only
way horse owners can minimize the chance of an
animal being stricken with WNV. Recommended actions
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.
Although
there is no preventive vaccine for WNV, equine
encephalitis is a reportable disease in New Jersey
and is treated symptomatically. Concerned horse
owners should contact their veterinarians for
additional information or consultation about
specific cases of illness in their animals.
For
more information on WNV or mosquito spraying,
or to report dead birds and areas of standing
water where mosquitoes breed, residents should
call their local or county Departments of Health
and mosquito control agencies or visit the web
sites maintained by DHSS (www.state.nj.us/health), DEP (www.state.nj.us/dep/mosquito),
the CDC (www.cdc.gov),
and NJDA (www.state.nj.us/agriculture/westnile.htm). |