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FRANKFORT,
Ky. — The first equine case of West Nile Virus in Kentucky
in 2004 has been confirmed, the Kentucky Department
of Agriculture reported on Friday.
The
20-year-old Arabian mare was located in Nelson County.
She has been euthanized, the KDA reported.
“We
are not surprised that West Nile is back,” Agriculture
Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “We are encouraged
that the first equine case came so late in the year.
Last year's first equine case was in May. We also are
encouraged that the number of cases in Kentucky last
year was 80 percent lower than the number of cases in
2002. This tells us that equine owners are acting to
protect their animals and eliminate breeding grounds
for mosquitoes, which spread the virus. But we can't
let down our guard.”
This
year's first confirmation of West Nile Virus in a bird
in Kentucky occurred in May. No humans have been confirmed
to have West Nile in the state so far in 2004.
Last
year, 102 Kentucky equine were diagnosed with West Nile
Virus, of which 35 died. In 2002, 513 equine were confirmed
to have suffered from West Nile, and 131 of those died.
The
Department for Public Health reported 14 human cases
of West Nile and one death due to the virus in Kentucky
last year. In 2002, 75 Kentuckians were confirmed with
West Nile, and five died.
West Nile Virus causes encephalitis,
or inflammation of the brain, in horses, humans and
birds and other warm-blooded animals. It is transmitted
by mosquitoes that acquire it from infected birds. Humans
and equine cannot transmit the disease. It was first
discovered in the United States in 1999 in New York
and reached Kentucky in 2001, when eight equine cases
were confirmed in the state.
For
more information, go to the KDA Web site, www.kyagr.com,
or the state West Nile site, www.westnile.ky.gov.
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