Deadly Equine Virus Sweeps Through South Carolina

South Carolina horses beleaguered by an exploding mosquito and bug population this summer now have a deadly consequence to deal with: 30 cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis have been confirmed. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, EEE is rare in humans, with only a handful of cases each year. Most persons infected with EEE have no apparent illness. Severe cases of EEE (involving encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain) begin with the sudden onset of headache, high fever, chills, and vomiting. The illness may then progress into disorientation, seizures, or coma. EEE is one of the most severe mosquito-transmitted diseases in the United States with approximately 33 percent mortality and significant brain damage in most survivors.

According to differing sources, the mortality rate among equines can be as high as 90 percent. Horses can be inoculated with a relatively inexpensive vaccine, however. 

This past week, five additional cases of EEE and one case of West Nile were confirmed among horses in South Carolina, according to Lowcountry veterinarian Shambley Equine Clinic. 

Here are the totals by county for EEE in horses:

• 1 Barnwell County
• 3 Berkeley County
• 4 Charleston County
• 1 Clarendon County
• 1 Colleton County
• 1 Dorchester County
• 1 Florence County
• 10 Horry County
• 2 Lee County
• 2 Marion County
• 3 Sumter County (2 additional suspect/unconfirmed)
• 1 Williamsburg County