Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
09/24/2018
On 21.09.18 the first case of a West Nile virus infection in a horse was found in Germany. Evidence was provided by the National Reference Laboratory for West Nile Virus Infections (WNV) in FLI bird and horse. The dead animal comes from the district of Elbe-Elster (Brandenburg).
Horses, like humans and birds, can be infected by virus-borne bloodsucking mosquitoes. The horse is considered as the human but as a so-called "dead end host", i. the virus does not multiply to the extent that it is sufficient for the further infection of mosquitoes. WNV-infected and diseased horses are therefore not at risk of infection.
The majority of WNV-infected horses, similar to humans, develop no clinical symptoms. However, some animals respond with significant CNS deficits due to meningitis or encephalitis caused by WNV. Febrile diseases are rare. Central nervous disorders include stumbling, post paralysis, ataxia, generalized weakness, tremor, and paralysis until it becomes lodged. Although clinically ill horses can survive the infection, they suffer lifelong failure (neurological damage) in up to 20 percent of cases. In 22-44% of clinically ill horses, the disease can be fatal.
There is no specific therapy for WNV infection, only symptomatic treatment is possible. As a preventive measure, three vaccines for use on horses are available in Germany, which are approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). These include an inactivated whole virus vaccine as well as a recombinant live or a recombinant dead vaccine.
In Europe, WNV first appeared in France in the early 1960s and has since established itself throughout the Mediterranean. WNV infections in humans and horses occur regularly, mainly from southern and southern European countries (France, Italy, Croatia, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Spain, the Czech Republic).
Due to the epidemiological situation, the occurrence of WNV in Germany is not surprising. So far, a hawk from Bad D?ben (Saxony), two bearded owls from Poing (Bavaria), a bearded owl from Halle and a hawk from Bernburg (both Saxony-Anhalt) as well as two snowy owls and a blackbird from Berlin have tested positive for WNV. Long-lasting high temperatures favor the virus multiplication in the mosquito. Therefore, other cases of WNV in birds and horses are not excluded.
Brandenburg State - wikipedia
On 21.09.18 the first case of a West Nile virus infection in a horse was found in Germany. Evidence was provided by the National Reference Laboratory for West Nile Virus Infections (WNV) in FLI bird and horse. The dead animal comes from the district of Elbe-Elster (Brandenburg).
Horses, like humans and birds, can be infected by virus-borne bloodsucking mosquitoes. The horse is considered as the human but as a so-called "dead end host", i. the virus does not multiply to the extent that it is sufficient for the further infection of mosquitoes. WNV-infected and diseased horses are therefore not at risk of infection.
The majority of WNV-infected horses, similar to humans, develop no clinical symptoms. However, some animals respond with significant CNS deficits due to meningitis or encephalitis caused by WNV. Febrile diseases are rare. Central nervous disorders include stumbling, post paralysis, ataxia, generalized weakness, tremor, and paralysis until it becomes lodged. Although clinically ill horses can survive the infection, they suffer lifelong failure (neurological damage) in up to 20 percent of cases. In 22-44% of clinically ill horses, the disease can be fatal.
There is no specific therapy for WNV infection, only symptomatic treatment is possible. As a preventive measure, three vaccines for use on horses are available in Germany, which are approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). These include an inactivated whole virus vaccine as well as a recombinant live or a recombinant dead vaccine.
In Europe, WNV first appeared in France in the early 1960s and has since established itself throughout the Mediterranean. WNV infections in humans and horses occur regularly, mainly from southern and southern European countries (France, Italy, Croatia, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Spain, the Czech Republic).
Due to the epidemiological situation, the occurrence of WNV in Germany is not surprising. So far, a hawk from Bad D?ben (Saxony), two bearded owls from Poing (Bavaria), a bearded owl from Halle and a hawk from Bernburg (both Saxony-Anhalt) as well as two snowy owls and a blackbird from Berlin have tested positive for WNV. Long-lasting high temperatures favor the virus multiplication in the mosquito. Therefore, other cases of WNV in birds and horses are not excluded.
Brandenburg State - wikipedia
