West Nile Virus

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

k s swigart katswig@earthlink.net

Debbie Zanot said:

>and how big does the threat have to be for horses before
>there will be mandatory WNV testing?
>These are real questions that need to be thought upon.
>I am not a very worldy person so I seek advise from such
>people. When and  should we make a decesion to cancel our
>ride in July??
>Do we need to encourage the states that are at risk from
>WNV to insist upon a negative WNV before horses are allowed to
>cross state lines or do we just leave the responsiblity
>to their authorities?

It is my understanding that the horse is a "dead end host" for
the West Nile Virus.  The virus is not in significant enough 
concentration in a horse for it to be able to be transmitted
FROM a horse (via mosquito) to anybody.  So horses carrying the
virus are not a health risk for transmitting the disease to
others.

I could be wrong about this (since I can't seem to find the 
medical report on it...I have been cleaning up while preparing
my tax stuff, and now can't find anything :)).  However, if this
is the case, there is no reason to restrict the transportation
and/or congregation of horses based on whether they have been
exposed to the disease.  So no, don't cancel the ride because 
of it.  There would be no point.  However, you may want to check
with the Dept of Ag or the CDC for confirmation of this...until
I can find that report :).

kat
Orange County, Calif.