OUACHITA COUNTY, Ark. — Editor's note: The horse pictured is not the one mentioned below with a positive case of Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis in Arkansas.
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture confirmed that a positive case of Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE) was reported in Ouachita County.
According to reports, no other horses were exposed to the infected horse and the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Division’s Animal Health Section notified other officials of active equine venues in the area.
The EEE virus is an extremely rare, but fatal infection that causes encephalitis, an acute inflammation of the brain. The disease spreads by biting insects, primarily mosquitoes and flies, that have bitten birds infected with the EEE virus.
Insect control and vaccination are recommended as preventative measures against the virus.
This disease can infect animals other than horses, including birds, reptiles, and amphibians. While humans can also contract the disease through biting insects, they cannot get it from direct contact with an infected animal.
Equine owners have been urged to closely monitor their animals for early clinical signs such as loss of appetite, decreased activity, and depression. These signs progress to tremors, paralysis, altered mental state, and stumbling.
Some affected horses die within a few days, while surviving animals may suffer residual nerve deficits.
Owners should contact their regular veterinarian for more information or to report any symptoms. Those without a regular veterinarian should call the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Division at (501) 225-1598 if their horses show clinical signs.
