WSU Confirms 10 Cases Of West Nile Fever

Washington State University has confirmed 10 cases of West Nile Fever in horses since August 9^th.  All 10 cases confirmed positive recently were in unvaccinated horses in Spokane, Lincoln, and Pend Oreille counties in Washington as well as Idaho’s Boundary County.  WSU said all 10 horses reported neurological disease that occurs with West Nile encephalitis characterized by inflammation of the central nervous system.  The West Nile Fever cases reported recently are unrelated to the Equine Herpes Virus case confirmed by WSU a few weeks ago.

WSU is urging horse owners to contact their veterinarians and seek advice on vaccination and how to eliminate mosquitoes where horses are kept.  The exact reason for the spike in West Nile cases is unknown, however these most recent cases are located further north than detection in previous years. To learn more about West Nile Fever, or to have your questions answered visit WSU's Website.

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