Flathead horse has West Nile infection

The Daily Inter Lake

Montana state veterinarian Tom Linfield confirmed Thursday that a Flathead Valley horse has contracted West Nile virus.

The infected horse is native to the valley and has not traveled. This would indicate the mosquito-borne virus was contracted in this area, Linfield said.

Local veterinarian Denise Schwartz of LaSalle Equine Clinic diagnosed the infection based on blood work. The horse was brought in for treatment after displaying neurological symptoms.

The disease typically produces symptoms between three and 15 days after infection. Typically, a horse shows signs of the virus in seven days or fewer.

A press release from the state veterinarian's office said the infected horse was vaccinated in 2004 but received no booster in 2005. However, the horse is responding well to treatment.

West Nile virus affects the nervous system, causing severe complications and illness in horses. People also may contract the disease, but 80 percent show no symptoms while others have mild flulike symptoms.

About one in 150 people infected develop severe illness, statistics show. One in 1,000 dies from West Nile virus.

Elderly people, young children and those with compromised immune systems are most at risk for severe symptoms.

Infected mosquitoes spread the disease to people and horses. West Nile virus is not spread via horse-to-horse contact, horse-to-person or person to person.

This season, West Nile virus has been diagnosed in horses in Blaine, Broadwater, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Sanders, Teton and Valley counties along with Flathead County.