Sonoma Horse Contracts West Nile

Saturday, September 16, 2006;   B3

SONOMA COUNTY

Sonoma horse contracts West Nile

West Nile virus has claimed its first horse in Sonoma County this year, the county Public Health Department has announced.

The horse, stabled in the city of Sonoma, developed symptoms a week ago, Deputy Health Officer Leigh Hall said Friday.

Its death was reported Wednesday, though it was not clear if it died from the illness or was euthanized, he said.

Unlike most of the county's horses, the infected animal had not been vaccinated for the mosquito-borne virus, Hall said.

A total of 39 horses around California have had confirmed West Nile infections this year, but this is the only one in Sonoma County, Hall said.

The county logged one equine case of West Nile virus in all of 2005, he said.

A human case was announced in Lake County last week.

- Mary Callahan