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46 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, May 11, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend April 7, 2004 Local horse didn’t have West Nile Virus hasn’t been detected Oregon, but experts say it could be here by summer By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune Oregon remains free of the West Nile virus for now, but a Central Point horse that died in mid-March of West Nile-like symptoms threw a scare into the equestrian community over the past two weeks. A preliminary test suggested the horse had the disease, which has been found in all the contiguous 48 states except Oregon. A second test, designed specifically to identify the West Nile virus, found no traces in the 3-year-old horse’s blood, said Tom Timmons, an Eagle Point veterinarian who treated the animal. Timmons said rumors that the horse had died of West Nile virus were spreading among horse owners while the laboratory tests were being processed. Results of the second test were released Tuesday by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. Timmons said state veterinary officials ordered the additional test because the West Nile virus had not yet been detected in Oregon, and they wanted to be absolutely certain the disease had arrived before announcing its presence. Public health officials fully expect the virus to be detected in Oregon sometime this summer. When and where it will surface is the only question. Advertisement Timmons said he first treated the horse for general neurological symptoms on March 17. The horse responded to initial treatment, but died March 20 after suffering a relapse. Because the animal’s symptoms suggested the possibility of West Nile, blood samples were taken for analysis. "You have to discuss all the possibilities" in treating a horse, Timmons said. "That set the stage for testing." The sample tested positive, but Timmons noted that there were some circumstances that clouded the results. Most notable among them was how the horse could have contracted the disease. The West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes, and there is little mosquito activity in Southern Oregon in mid-March. Moreover, the virus typically surfaces first in birds, and there had been no virus- killed birds identified in Oregon. Timmons said the horse was rendered soon after it died, so the cause of death cannot be positively determined. The animal had neurological symptoms that suggested it could have died of tetanus, but a number of illnesses present similar symptoms. "That’s what makes this so difficult," he said. Timmons did not identify the horse’s owner. He relayed a request from the Mail Tribune to speak with her, but she did not respond on Tuesday. There is no cure for either the West Nile virus or tetanus in humans or animals. Physicians and veterinarians treat the symptoms, but the patients have to pull through on their own. The disease is far more deadly for horses than humans. About one horse in every three that comes down with the virus dies. About 80 percent of the humans who are infected will have no symptoms at all. About one in every 150 infected people develops more serious symptoms that can be life threatening. In 2003, some 9,800 human cases were identified in the United States. Of those, 264 people died. There are horse vaccines for West Nile and tetanus and a human tetanus vaccine. Researchers are developing a human West Nile vaccine, but it is not ready for use. Timmons said the equine vaccine’s efficacy is reflected in the sharp drop in equine cases over the past two years in the United States. In 2002 there were more than 14,000 cases of West Nile reported in horses. By 2003 that number had dropped to around 4,000. "The number of human cases," he said, "continues to climb." He estimated that as many as 30 percent of horse owners in Jackson County still had not vaccinated their animals, and encouraged them to do it now. The vaccine must be administered in two stages to be effective. Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or e-mail [email protected] Disease is somewhat preventable We can’t eliminate the West Nile virus, but we can slow its spread. Mosquitoes typically spread the virus, so the trick is to get rid of standing water where mosquitoes breed and to limit contact with the little biters, said Gary Stevens, Jackson County’s director of environmental health. "This is a preventable disease to some extent," Stevens said. Birds also play a role in spreading the virus. Mosquitoes become carriers when they feed on birds that have been infected. Those birds introduce the disease to new areas as they travel. Mosquitoes that bite infected birds can spread the virus to humans, horses and other animals that they bite. Stevens encouraged Jackson County residents to eliminate breeding sites such as old tires and to check homes for sagging gutters that could hold enough water to raise a crop of mosquitoes. Forgotten buckets and cans can also collect enough water after a spring shower to become mosquito habitat. He said insect repellent that contains the chemical known as DEET provides the best, longest-lasting protection against mosquitoes. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants outdoors also will reduce the amount of skin exposed to biting insects. Mosquitoes tend to be most active in the hours around dawn and dusk. Staying indoors around those times will reduce the chances of being bitten. While the virus can be fatal, other common diseases kill far more people. Influenza kills an estimated 35,000 Americans every year. In 2003, the West Nile virus claimed 264 lives. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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