Public Service and Agriculture

Vaccination against deadly diseases makes a proven difference for South Carolina horses

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South Carolina horses need annual vaccination against diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis, West Nile Virus and rabies.

COLUMBIA — Nothing succeeds like success, and horse owners have the chance to build on their success in 2018 — providing they don’t rest on their laurels.

South Carolina had one of the lowest incidences of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in the Southeastern United States in 2018 — just a single case in Chesterfield County — along with four cases of West Nile Virus in horses. North Carolina and Georgia each reported seven confirmed cases of EEE last year while Florida reported 66.

“We’d like to see our numbers reduced to zero this year,” said Boyd Parr, South Carolina state veterinarian and director of Clemson University Livestock Poultry Health, a state agency responsible for protecting the health of animals and consumers through control of disease and inspection of meat and poultry products.

EEE and West Nile Virus are viral diseases that attack horses and other equine hosts through the nervous system. Borne by mosquitoes, EEE is almost always fatal in unvaccinated horses.

“These diseases have a very high mortality rate in infected, unvaccinated horses – between 30 and 40 percent for West Nile and 90 percent for EEE,” said Sean Eastman, veterinarian and director of field services for the Livestock Poultry Health Animal Health Programs. “With the emergence of mosquitoes and the confirmation of EEE already this year in nearby states, continued vaccination for horses is essential.”

The recent success in South Carolina proves that point. The Palmetto State led the nation in cases of the disease in 2013 with 49 EEE infected horses, all unvaccinated. Of those, 48 died. Over the next four years, the number of confirmed cases of EEE has shown a downward trend with nine in 2017 and only one in 2018. However, West Nile Virus has reappeared with 10 confirmed cases in 2017 and four in 2018.

“Since the 2013 case number peak, our office has stepped up efforts in cooperation with equine practitioners in South Carolina to increase awareness among horse owners of the risks associated with not vaccinating. As a result, we think vaccination rates are up and that likely is a significant factor in the reduced the number of cases in 2018,” Parr said.

Disease threats remain, though. Georgia and Florida each already have reported an EEE case this year. And other deadly diseases, including West Nile Virus and rabies, are a danger to equine livestock without vaccinations.

“Horse owners should check with their veterinarian to be sure their horses’ vaccinations are up to date,” Parr said. “This is the time of year that these diseases begin to appear. The best defense is to maintain current equine vaccinations for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, West Nile Virus and also rabies for your horses.”

Likewise, mosquito control is an important precaution. Both EEE and West Nile Virus are maintained in nature through a cycle involving the freshwater swamp mosquito, Culiseta melanura, commonly known as the black-tailed mosquito. Due to the warm, wet winter South Carolina experienced this past year, mosquitoes have been active all winter and the forecast for the summer is that more than a normal number of mosquitoes will be active.

Two to three days after becoming infected with the virus, a mosquito becomes capable of transmitting the virus. Infected mosquitoes can transmit the disease when they bite. Symptoms usually develop in horses from two to five days after exposure.

Any livestock, including horses, that display neurologic signs, such as stumbling, circling, head-pressing, depression or apprehension, must be reported to the state veterinarian at 803-788-2260 within 48 hours, according to state law.

Information on animal diseases and reporting requirements can be found on the Livestock Poultry Health website, www.clemson.edu/lph.

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