During the bloodmeal, the virus is injected into the blood system of the horse. The virus then multiplies and may cause illness. The mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds or other animals. A. Following transmission by an infected mosquito, West Nile virus multiples in the horse's blood system, crosses the blood brain barrier and infects the brain. The virus interferes with normal central nervous system functioning and causes inflammation of the brain.
Infectious mosquitoes transmit A. West Nile virus.
Normal veterinary infection control precautions should be followed when caring for a horse suspected to have this or any viral infection. However, horses with suspected West Nile virus should be isolated from mosquito bites, if at all possible. A. No. EEE, WEE, and VEE belong to another family of viruses for which there is no cross-protection. There is no approved vaccine currently available for West Nile virus. However, previously published data suggest that the virus is detectable in the blood for only a few days.