Developments in West Nile VirusBy Kentucky Equine Research Staff · November 1, 2003
As West Nile virus continues to spread across the country, studies show that less than 1% of mosquitoes are infected in disease areas, and only about 1 in 10 infected horses' shows signs of illness. Fatalities among clinically ill horses approach 50%, according to some estimates. Researchers in Francehave isolated a gene in mice that seems to cause susceptibility to the disease. The National Institutes for Health continue to work toward development of a West Nilevaccine for humans. A free brochure on West Nile virus is available from the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173 (please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope). The brochure can be viewed on the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org.
