Another WNV-Positive Horse Confirmed, Central Florida

<x-flowed>Forwarded from ProMED-Mail <http://www.promedmail.org>, a program
of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>:

Source: The Lakeland Ledger, Polk County, Florida, Sat Mar 30, 2002
, byline: Eric Pera
<http://doacs.state.fl.us/ai/document/wnv-polk-fl-03312002.txt>
[edited by ProMED and WestNileVirus-L]

WEST NILE VIRUS CONFIRMED IN HORSE, POLK CITY [CENTRAL] FLORIDA

A horse in Polk City has been confirmed as this year's first local
casualty of West Nile virus. As many as 5 other horses have died in
the last month after suffering symptoms common to the virus, said
Vonda Downin, whose 5-year-old pet horse is the county's only
confirmed case. Polk County health officials say they're unaware of
any other local cases of West Nile virus.

The disease has shown up in other parts of the state, including
Marion County, where 3 horses tested positive last month [see posting
"West Nile virus in Florida--First Reports, Year 2002"
<http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/erap/WNV/WNV-LArchive/2-22-02.html>. In
addition to confirmations in birds and horses in several locations
throughout Florida, a cardinal in Louisiana was confirmed
WNV-positive.].

While officials aren't sounding alarms, people should take extra
precaution to guard against mosquitoes, which can transmit the
disease, said Dr. Daniel Haight, director of the Polk County Health
Department. "I feel there's very little concern right now," he said.
"When mosquitoes become more of an issue, Polk County, along with
other counties, will remain vigilant for more animal cases or any
human cases." ...SNIP...

But Downin, who lives in the Green Swamp in the vicinity of Green
Pond Road, north of Polk City, ... said several neighbors had horses
die after suffering the same as her pet, but most avoided going to
the expense of blood tests. Downin noticed on the morning of 7 Feb
2002 that her horse had trouble standing. Three hours later, the
animal was down for good. After the tests confirmed West Nile virus,
Downin said she vaccinated her other horse and was forced to
euthanize the sick animal.

In 2001 there were 12 human cases of the virus in Florida, and 400
equine cases, prompting health officials last month to recommend that
horse owners vaccinate their animals with the full 2-dose series this
year. [see posting "WNV Horse Vaccine"
<http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/erap/WNV/WNV-LArchive/4-1-02.html>, and
<http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/erap/WNV/wnvdefault.cfm#horse-vaccine>]

Because of budget shortfalls, Polk County has discontinued its
sentinel chicken program, which served as an early alert system for
the presence of St. Louis encephalitis virus and West Nile virus.
West Nile
virus, transmitted from mosquitoes to migratory birds, which infect
other mosquitoes, was first discovered in New York 2 years ago and
has since spread south into Florida.

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