Florida reports 3rd Eastern Equine Encephalitis case, the latest in Osceola County
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is reporting a Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) case in a horse in Osceola County.
The horse, in a private facility, was euthanized.
This is the third EEE case in a horse in Florida this year to date—other cases were reported in Polk and Marion counties.
In 2024 to date, positive samples from 11 sentinel chickens, three horses, two emus, and one emu flock have been reported from eight counties in Florida.
No human cases have been reported to date.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is spread to horses and humans by infected mosquitoes, including several Culex species and Culiseta melanura.
EEE is one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in the U.S. with a 90 percent fatality rate among horses that become ill and a 33 percent fatality rate among humans who become ill.
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In horses, the virus causes inflammation or swelling of the brain and spinal cord. General symptoms include central nervous system signs such as: head pressing, convulsions, lack of response to facial stimulation, fever above 103 degrees, ataxia, paralysis, anorexia, depression and stupor. Other symptoms may include irregular gait, teeth grinding, in-coordination, circling, and staggering. All symptoms may not be exhibited by an infected horse.
