What Is West Nile Virus?

If you have any concerns regarding the health of your horse it is important that you contact your vet for a definitive diagnosis.

As a notifiable disease in Europe, any horse infected with West Nile virus must be reported to your country’s authorities.

• Is there a cure for horses infected with West Nile virus?
  There is no definitive cure for West Nile virus, although veterinary treatment can provide supportive and sometimes life-saving care.
  
  Unfortunately, in some instances, this will not be enough. Particularly in cases where the animal is no longer able to stand up. In these circumstances its chances of survival are low and it may die or have to be put to sleep on humane grounds.
  
  
• Can an infected horse infect other horses or people?
  No. The disease is not contagious so infected animals cannot directly infect others.
  
  West Nile virus must be transmitted by disease-carrying mosquitoes that infect horses with their bite. As the horse is a ‘dead-end’ host, infected animals do not pass the virus to other mosquitoes when they are bitten again.
  
  
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