New London County Horse Infected With EEE Euthanized

NEW LONDON COUNTY, CT — A horse in New London County tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and was euthanized, NBC CT reported. It's the second animal in the state to test positive for the virus this year, after an emu tested positive previously.

The horse started showing neurological signs before being euthanized Oct. 1, according to NBC CT. EEE-infected mosquitoes have been found in 15 Connecticut towns this year.

The state Department of Environmental Energy and Protection said horse owners can vaccinate their animals and take precautions against mosquito-borne diseases. They noted that horses are the most susceptible among domestic animals to be infected with the EEE and West Nile viruses.

Equine owners are encouraged to administer an initial two-dose vaccine series four to six weeks apart and administer regular boosters at least annually, among other steps.

The end of mosquito season is approaching, and there have been no cases of EEE in humans so far this season. However, the risk level in the eastern part of the state for EEE virus remains elevated, the DEEP said recently.

Mosquitoes collected last month in New London County tested positive for EEE and West Nile Virus. EEE has been detected in area towns this year including Griswold, Hampton, Killingly, Ledyard, Mansfield, Plainfield, Stonington, Thompson, Tolland, Voluntown, Willington, and Woodstock. No human cases have been reported in Connecticut in 2023.

EEE is a rare but serious illness in humans. Four to eight cases are reported in a typical year in the U.S. EEE is the most severe mosquito-transmitted disease in the U.S., with approximately 40 percent mortality and neurological impairment in most survivors.

See related: Mosquito Spraying To Close New London County State Forest