2 Long County Horses Infected with Eastern Equine Encephalitis

Horse owners in the Coastal Empire should be on alert, after two animals in Long County are diagnosed with Eastern Equine Encephalitis.

Officials from the Coastal Health District say the two horses were not from the same farm, and both have been euthanized.

Norwood Stables in Savannah cares for about two or three dozen horses throughout the year.  Co-owner Linda Brown says they take extra steps to protect their animals against illnesses like EEE.

“We have the vet inoculate twice a year for all the mosquito diseases,“ she said.

Brown said they check health certificates for all animals that come to their stables. “It’s very important to know that they’re healthy as they’re coming in, because you don’t want your horses that are healthy exposed,“ said Brown.

They are also careful about standing water so mosquitos can’t breed. “All our horse troughs are dumped everyday,“ she said.

Health officials say EEE in horses is fatal 70-90 percent of the time.

Epidemiologist Robert Thornton with the Coastal Health District says the disease is preventable, so owners should have their horses vaccinated.

“When you think about humans, you know, we’re indoors and outdoors. But animals, in particular horses, spend a lot of time, much more time than humans, outdoors, so they’re more vulnerable to mosquito bites and thus more vulnerable to mosquito-borne illnesses,“ said Thornton.

Horses aren’t the only ones that need protection from the virus.

“The disease in horses is it lets us know as a surveillance mechanism that the disease is present in the area, and therefore humans should take precautions,“ said Thornton.

Humans cannot get the disease from horses, but you can get it from mosquitos. A Beaufort County child died of the disease in August 2007.  Even though there is a vaccine for horses, there is no vaccine for humans.

To protect yourself and your family from mosquitos, health officials want you to remember the 5 D’s.

• Dusk – Mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus usually bite at dusk and dawn.
• Dawn – Avoid outdoor activity at dusk and dawn if possible. If you must be outside, be sure to protect yourself from bites.
• Dress – Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants to reduce the amount of exposed skin.
• DEET – Cover exposed skin with an insect repellent containing the chemical DEET, which is the most effective repellent against mosquito bites.
• Drain – Empty any containers holding standing water because they can be excellent breeding grounds for virus-carrying mosquitoes.