Equine encephalomyelitis is a viral disease caused by a virus of the genus Alphavirus , which is transmitted between birds and wild rodents, through the bite of mosquitoes of the genus Culex, Aedes, Anopheles or Culiseta . Although horses and humans are accidental hosts, in some cases they can be infected with the virus.
Equine encephalitis is a zoonotic disease where the infection can be caused by three different virus species, the eastern equine encephalitis virus, western equine encephalitis virus, and vezenuelan equine encephalitis virus, which can cause symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, confusion or even death.
Treatment consists of hospitalization and administration of medications to relieve symptoms.
What symptoms
Some people who are infected with the virus do not get sick, however, when symptoms manifest, they can range from high fever, headache and muscle pain to lethargy, stiff neck, confusion and swelling of the brain, which are more serious symptoms. These symptoms usually appear four to ten days after the bite of an infected mosquito, with the disease usually lasting 1 to 3 weeks, but recovery may take longer.
Possible causes
Equine encephalomyelitis is an infection caused by a virus of the genus Alphavirus, which is transmitted between birds and wild rodents, through the bite of mosquitoes of the genus Culex, Aedes, Anopheles or Culiseta, which carry the virus in their saliva.
The virus can reach the skeletal musculature and reach the Langerhans cells, which take the viruses to the local lymph nodes and can invade the brain.
How the diagnosis is made
The diagnosis of equine encephalomyelitis can be made using magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, lumbar puncture and analysis of the sample collected, blood, urine and / or feces tests, electroencephalogram and / or brain biopsy.
What is the treatment
Although there is no specific treatment for equine encephalomyelitis, the doctor may prescribe medications to relieve symptoms, such as anticonvulsants, pain relievers, sedatives and corticosteroids to treat swelling of the brain. In some cases, hospitalization may be necessary.
There is still no vaccination for humans, but horses can be vaccinated. In addition, measures must be taken to prevent mosquito bites in order to prevent the spread of the disease. See strategies that can prevent mosquito bites.
