3 horses diagnosed with Eastern equine encephalitis

Posted: Sep 15, 2020 / 05:50 PM CDT / Updated: Sep 15, 2020 / 05:50 PM CDT

This July 13, 2019 photo provided by Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech shows male Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in a container at the company’s lab in Guangzhou, China, prepared for release. Researchers zapped the insects with a small dose of radiation and infected them with a virus-fighting bacterium called Wolbachia. Males and female mosquitoes with different types of Wolbachia won’t have young that survive. So researchers intentionally infect males with a strain not found in the area and then release the insects. (Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech via AP)

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana officials say three horses have been diagnosed with Eastern equine encephalitis, and owners who haven’t done so need to get their horses vaccinated against the often fatal disease.

Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says Louisiana’s hot, wet conditions have been made worse by storms such as Hurricane Laura, increasing the number of mosquitoes.

He says two of the infected horses are in Lafourche Parish. The third is in Iberville Parish. There isn’t any human vaccination.

But Strain said it’s not too late to vaccinate horses, donkeys and mules.

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