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4-29-2003 |
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COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE URGES HORSE OWNERS TO VACCINATE ANIMALS AGAINST WEST NILE VIRUS Mosquito season is almost here, and Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass is urging horse owners to vaccinate their animals against the disease if they have not already done so. “I am strongly encouraging horse owners to take advantage of the new horse vaccine that has been developed to combat West Nile Virus (WNV),” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “Vaccination is especially important in places where a large number of animals are stabled close to each other because mosquitos can so easily spread the disease in those conditions.” State Veterinarian Dr. Joseph Starcher echoed Commissioner Douglass. “The potential is high for this disease to affect many areas of the state this summer, ” said Dr. Starcher. “The vaccine — which was in its experimental phase last summer — has proven to be highly effective and has been formally approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.” Dr. Starcher said the vaccine must be administered twice, with three to six weeks between doses, and that it takes six weeks for the vaccine to become effective. He also said that the drug’s manufacturer requires the vaccine be given by a licensed veterinarian. WNV is carried by wild birds and is transmitted to other animals through mosquito bites. Although experts do not consider it a major human health threat, in horses it can cause encephalitis, a potentially deadly inflammation of the brain. A third of the horses that contracted the disease last year died or had to be put down due to the severity of their condition. For more information, contact the West Virginia Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health Division at 304/558-2214. |
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