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West Nile virus found in Ohio horse

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) announced late last week the first case of West Nile virus was confirmed in a horse in eastern Ohio. It is the first confirmed case in 2016.

The horse was first seen by a vet in late August and was later euthanized after exhibiting clinical signs of the virus including shaking, agitation and thrashing. Test samples later confirmed the presence of the virus.

The ODA says the virus can affect humans but horses are susceptible to the virus with the mortality rate as high as 30 to 40 percent. They recommend horse owners take steps to reduce the mosquito population around their animals and eliminate possible breeding areas for mosquito’s.