Equine encephalomyelitis is a viral disease caused by a virus of the genus Alphavirus, which is transmitted among wild birds and rodents, by the bite of mosquitoes of the genus Culex, Aedes, Anopheles or Culiseta, although horses and humans are accidental hosts, in some cases may be infected with the virus.
Equine encephalitis is a zoonotic disease in which the infection can be caused by three different species of virus, the eastern equine encephalitis virus, the western equine encephalitis virus and the Venezuelan equina encephalitis virus, which can cause symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, confusion or even death.
Treatment includes hospitalization and medication to relieve symptoms.
Some people infected with the virus do not get sick, however, when symptoms appear, these can range from high fever, headache and muscle aches to lethargy, stiff neck, confusion and inflammation of the brain, which are more severe symptoms.four to ten days after the bite of an infected mosquito, the disease usually lasts 1 to 3 weeks, but healing may take longer.
Equine encephalomyelitis is an infection caused by a virus of the genus Alphavirus, which is transmitted among wild birds and rodents, by the bite of mosquitoes of the genus Culex, Aedes, Anopheles or Culiseta, which carry the virus in their saliva.
The virus can reach skeletal muscles and Langerhans cells, which carry viruses to the local lymph nodes and can invade the brain.
The diagnosis of equine encephalomyelitis can be made by magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, lumbar puncture and analysis of the extracted sample, analysis of blood, urine and / or feces, electroencephalogram and / or brain biopsy.
Although there is no specific treatment for equine encephalomyelitis, your doctor may prescribe medications to relieve symptoms, such as anticonvulsants, pain relievers, sedatives, and corticosteroids to treat inflammation of the brain.In some cases, hospitalization may be necessary.
There is no vaccination for humans yet, but horses can be vaccinated.In addition, measures should be taken to prevent mosquito bites to prevent the spread of the disease.See strategies that can prevent mosquito bites.