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West Nile Virus
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2005
West Nile Virus Activity in the United States
(Reported to CDC as of July 19, 2005*)
*Currently, West Nile virus maps are updated weekly to reflect
surveillance reports released by
state and local health departments to CDC's ArboNET system for
public distribution. Map shows
the distribution of avian, animal, or mosquito infection
occurring during 2005 with number of
human cases if any, by state. If West Nile virus infection is
reported to CDC from any area of
a state, that entire state is shaded.
Data table:
As of July 19, 2005 avian, animal or mosquito WNV infections
have been reported to CDC
ArboNET from the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Florida,
Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma,
South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas,
Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Human cases have been reported in: Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana,
Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico,
Ohio, South Dakota, and Texas.
Maps detailing county-level human, mosquito, veterinary, avian
and sentinel data are published
each week on the collaborative USGS/CDC West Nile virus
web site:
http://westnilemaps.usgs.gov/ |
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http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
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| Mosquitoes not only affect homeowners, but also businesses.
Golf courses, resorts, ballparks, swimming pools and similar
operations often have frustrated employees and customers during peak
mosquito activity. Warehouses and trucking terminals, even a
government post office, were nearly shut down by the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration because of mosquito problems.
The CDC admits that community spraying and draining of
mosquito-breeding ponds is not enough to control the spread of the
disease. Citronella candles and insecticide foggers are also not
sufficient safeguards. Repellants containing DEET can be dangerous
and do not reduce mosquito populations. |
* Encephalitis can have serious complications. These complications
may include weakness, paralysis, confusion, coma and death and are
more likely to occur among older adults and people with chronic
diseases and weakened immune systems.
* There is no vaccine or specific treatment for West Nile virus.
Milder symptoms of West Nile fever usually improve without medical
care.
Anyone experiencing severe symptoms (such as persistent high fever,
muscle weakness, headache) should seek medical attention promptly
for diagnosis and care.
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What you need to know
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Summer weather means the start of mosquito season. Today, mosquitoes are
more than a nuisance. A small percentage can cause infections that can
lead to serious illness such as West Nile Virus.
West Nile Virus is transmitted through bites by infected mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes can become carriers after biting infected birds.
Extensive surveillance programs have been established across Canada to
test mosquitoes and dead crows, ravens, magpies and jays (the family of
birds most susceptible to the disease) for West Nile Virus. This will
ensure public health officials are aware as soon as the virus is found.
Know The Risks
West Nile Virus has spread across North America since 1999. Most people
bitten by an infected mosquito will not even become ill.
About one in five people infected have only mild flu-like symptoms for
less than a week. Fewer than one per cent develop serious health effects.
Symptoms
For the few who do get symptoms, they can include headache, fever, skin
rash, body aches and/or swollen lymph glands. These may develop from three
to 14 days after a bite from an infected mosquito.
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Prevention: Steps You Can Take
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- Protect yourself and your family against mosquito bites.
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- Prevent mosquito breeding around your home and yard.
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Empty all
standing water outside regularly (every 3-4 days) - flower pot
saucers, tin cans, plastic containers, tires, tarps, pool covers,
trampolines.
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Change water in
bird baths, pet dishes regularly.
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Empty wading
pools after use.
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Install a pump in
ornamental ponds, stock them with fish or change water weekly.
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Unclog rain
gutters and drainage ditches.
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Remove used
tires, debris where rain collects.
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Cover rain
barrels with fine mesh.
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Keep your lawn
short so mosquitoes can't rest there to escape the mid-day heat.
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Learn More :
Information Sources:
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There is no
vaccine to protect people against the virus.
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CDC Denies Mosquito Spray is a Health
risk
CDC: Mosquito Spray Doesn't Boost Human Pesticide Levels
The Associated Press |
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ATLANTA April 4 —
A
mosquito spraying method that health officials say is central to
fighting West Nile virus does not increase pesticide levels in humans,
federal officials said.
The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examined the potential health
dangers of exposure to mosquito spray from fogger trucks after a request
by Mississippi state health officials in September.
Officials
interviewed and took urine samples from 192 residents of four cities in
Mississippi. Two of the cities used truck foggers for mosquito control.
The CDC concluded that local mosquito control activities did not lead to
increased pesticide levels.
The use
of pesticides to fight the spread of West Nile virus has been
controversial, said George Luber of the CDC, and mosquito spraying has
been a central aspect in prevention.
The
finding was seen as good news by health officials who have been on the
front line of battling against the virus. West Nile made more than 4,100
people ill and killed 277 last year in the United States.
Dawn
Wesson, associate professor of medical entomology at Tulane University,
said the study allays some fears about increasing insecticide use in the
face of an outbreak. She said spray trucks have been effective when used
during peak mosquito activity against the type of mosquito responsible
for the spread of West Nile virus.
"The
doses that are sprayed for mosquito control purposes are calibrated to
be just enough to kill mosquitoes and ... to be safe for humans," she
said. "This verifies those data (calibrations) are accurate in the first
place."
On the
Net:
CDC:
www.cdc.gov |
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Mosquito-Borne Encephalitis
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Viruses cause disease around the world
Some types of mosquitoes carry viruses which can cause potentially
severe illness in humans. If you live in the United States, you've
probably heard of West Nile virus. But that disease is caused by just
one of several mosquito-borne viruses which occur around the world. (In
fact, West Nile usually occurs in Africa, West Asia, and the Middle
East.)
The diseases
Some of the encephalitis diseases caused by mosquito-borne viruses are:
- La Crosse encephalitis
Occurs in: United States (Midwest, mid-Atlantic, southeastern)
Symptoms: fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, lethargy
Severe disease: most common in children under age 16, consists of
seizures, coma, paralysis, brain damage
Death rate: less than 1% of cases
- Eastern equine encephalitis
Occurs in: United States (eastern, Gulf Coast, Midwest)
Symptoms: fever, muscle pains, headache
Severe disease: seizures, coma, brain damage
Death rate: as high as 1/3 of all cases
- Japanese encephalitis
Occurs in: throughout Asia
Symptoms: fever, headache, vomiting
Severe disease: encephalitis, brain damage
Death rate: 10-30% of cases (A vaccine is available for this disease.)
- St. Louis encephalitis
Occurs in: lower 48 states of United States
Symptoms: fever, headache
Severe disease: meningoencephalitis
Death rate: 5-15% of cases
- Venezuelan equine encephalitis
Occurs in: Central and South America
Symptoms: flu-like symptoms
Severe disease: encephalitis
- Western encephalitis
Occurs in: western United States and Canada
Symptoms: usually mild, but may have fever, headache, nausea,
vomiting, malaise
Severe disease: altered mental status, meningitis, brain damage Death
rate: about 3% of cases
- West Nile virus
Occurs in: Africa, West Asia, Europe, Middle East, United States
Symptoms: fever, headache
Severe disease: encephalitis
Death rate: low
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Links to selected web pages:
What You Need To Know About West Nile virus.
Published by the Manitoba Health Ministry
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Health Canada
Nova Scotia Department of
Health
New Brunswick Health and
Wellness
Quebec Ministère de la Santé et des
Services sociaux du Québec
Ontario
Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Manitoba Government of Manitoba
Saskatchewan Government of Saskatchewan
Alberta
Government of Alberta
British Columbia BC Centre for Disease
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