The following report from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Veterinary Services notifies state veterinarians of a recent decision by Veterinary Services (VS) regarding the status of West Nile disease and subsequent implementation of user fees by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL).

The spread of West Nile (WN) encephalitis in horses across the United States in the current transmission season has led to the reevaluation of Veterinary Service's position of treating WN as a Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) or "program" disease. According to VS, it is apparent that the persistence of WN virus in birds and mosquitoes makes the virus difficult or impossible to eradicate. It is anticipated that recurring seasonal illness in equine may occur in the United States due to West Nile virus (WNV), Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus, or Western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) virus. Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE), although it has not occurred in this country for more than 30 years, is a Foreign Animal Disease. Therefore, effective immediately, VS will consider WN to be an endemic disease in the U.S.

The following are changes will be effective 1 Dec 2002:

• Suspected routine WN, EEE or WEE cases should not be submitted to NVSL as FAD investigations.
• Unusual occurrences of equine encephalitis (e.g. suspect VEE) should be investigated and samples submitted as FAD investigations. NVSL will charge for all equine encephalitis diagnostic testing unless accessions are submitted as part of an encephalitis FAD case.
• NVSL will charge user fees for all WN reagents.
• NVSL will charge user fees for all non-equine submissions requesting EEE, WEE or WN testing.
• Charges will be as follows:
  • IgM ELISA (WN, EEE) - $4.75
  • PRNT or VN (WN, EEE, WEE) - $7.75
  • HI (EEE,WEE) - $ 7.50
  • VI - $31.50
  • PCR (WN, EEE) - $56.00

Questions regarding this report may be directed to Dr. Randall Crom, (301) 734-8073, or the area veterinary in charge (AVIC) in your jurisdiction.