NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
July 29, 1999
The North Dakota Department of Health will monitor horses this summer as it looks for signs of a neurological disease that affects both humans and horses.
In previous years, the Department of Health trapped and tested mosquitos for the Western Equine Encephalitis, or sleeping sickness. This year there is no funding for that project. "As an alternative detection system, we'll use the horse as a sentinel animal to detect the presence of the disease in the area," explains Charlie Stoltenow, a veterinarian with the North Dakota State University Extension Service.
"If you see any sign of neurological disorder in your horses, contact your veterinarian immediately," he advises. Typical symptoms may include depression, aggressiveness, circling, sumbling, dizziness, inability to get up or walk and in extreme cases, convulsions and death. Horses can recover from the disease, but may exhibit neurologic problems that may never fully disappear.
Veterinarians have been advised to provide blood samples from acutely ill animals to the Department of Health for testing. Historically, most cases of Western Equine Encephalitis are recorded in late July, August and September.
"We usually only see about two or three cases of sleeping sickness in horses each year," Stoltenow says. "If we see a significant increase above that, it'll be a sign of increased risk to the human population and a signal for the Department of Health to take action to prevent the disease from occuring in humans."
Stoltenow notes that rabies can cause similar symptoms. He says, "With either disease, a correct diagnosis is essential to protect the health of the public."
Birds are the natural reservoir of Western Equine Encephalitis and North Dakota's location along the flyway for migratory birds means the state is exposed annually to the disease. Mosquitos transmit the disease from bird to bird and also can infect horses and humans. Horses and humans are called accidental hosts, Stoltenow says. That means horses and humans can get the disease but are not capable of passing it on to another horse or person.
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Source: Charlie Stoltenow (701) 231-7522
Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629