Wisconsin has verified its fifth equine West Nile virus (WNV) case for this year, according to the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.

The newest WNV case occurred in an unvaccinated 5-year-old Quarter Horse gelding from Dodge County. He was examined and sampled August 17 after exhibiting a sudden onset of ataxia, mainly in the front quarters. The horse was treated and is improving.

This article was created with information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC). The EDCC works to protect horses and the horse industry from the threat of infectious diseases in North America. The communication system is designed to seek and report real time information about disease outbreaks similar to how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerts the human population about diseases in people.