If you own a horse, be aware that a horse in West Tennessee has tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a virus that can be fatal for horses and humans. The Tennessee departments of Agriculture and Health (TDA and TDH) are advising citizens to take precautions to protect themselves and their livestock.
The horse in Gibson County showed signs of illness. Testing confirmed it was suffering from EEE, and the horse was euthanized.
Mosquitoes transmit EEE. An infected horse cannot directly transmit the virus to other horses or humans through contact. However, mosquito-borne diseases do pose a public health risk. Tennessee had the first documented human case of EEE in a resident of Hamilton County earlier this summer. This recent equine case serves as a reminder that mosquito season is not over yet.
-WGNS Radio contributed to this story.
