West Nile Virus-Another Important Spring Vaccination Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain and or spinal cord. It develops in horses exposed to the West Nile Virus when the virus itself invades these sensitive tissues causing inflammation. The disease is also called West Nile Fever. Horses can be exposed to the virus without developing sickness but in horses with West Nile Encephalitis, it is often fatal (50% of horses with clinical signs die) and horses that do recover can continue to have signs over a prolonged period of time. HOW DO HORSES GET WEST NILE VIRUS? West Nile Virus also infects people. It was introduced to the United States in 1999. Both people and horses are exposed to the virus by mosquito bites. The disease is […]