Equine Arboviral Monitoring
Arboviruses or Arthropod-borne viruses are those that are spread between susceptible hosts via blood feeding arthropods, including mosquitoes, ticks, gnats, and sand flies. Viruses transmitted by mosquitoes are of primary concern for horses in California and include West Nile Virus (WNV), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), and St. Louis Encephalitis (SLE). All of these viruses can also affect humans.
Active surveillance, coordinated through the California Department of Public Health, includes regular monitoring by blood testing sentinel chickens throughout California for WNV, WEE, and SLE seroconversion. These chickens do not get sick from these viruses, but they show an immune response, allowing state and local health officials to know when one of these viruses is active before horses and humans in the area get sick. Additionally, passive monitoring for these diseases is done in cooperation with state diagnostic laboratories that report cases to CDFA.
For more information:
California Mosquito-Borne Virus Surveillance & Response Plan (July 2007)
CDPH West Nile Information
CDC Arboviral Encephalitides
Contact us for more information:
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Animal Health and Food Safety Services, Animal Health Branch
1220 N Street, Room A-107
Sacramento, California 95814
Telephone: (916) 654-1447
Fax: (916) 653-2215
or send an email to: ahbfeedback@cdfa.ca.gov