The state is urging Florida horse owners to vaccinate their animals due to an upsurge in eastern equine encephalitis.
Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson said today that 16 cases have been confirmed this year.
Bronson said most have been in central and north central Florida, which is normal.
The horse malady and West Nile virus, though, also have turned up in blood tests on sentinel chickens used to check for both mosquito-borne diseases in the southern part of Florida.
Humans also can contract the diseases although eastern equine encephalitis is rare because mosquitoes that carry it prefer other animals.
Horses also can get West Nile virus but no cases have been reported.
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