Ridecamp: [RC] FW: West Nile Virus update

 I subscribe to a number of veterinary lists and this came through that
could be of interest to most of you. It's worth noting that there has only
one "suspected" human fatality due to WNV. I get emails from people worrying
about it, since my horses live on the west bank of the Nile, and the
research figures are much less scary than some of the information I've seen
on the net.

Maryanne Stroud Gabbani
Cairo, Egypt
maryanne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.ratbusters.net

WEST NILE VIRUS, ERAP UPDATE & RESOURCES
****************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>

Date: Wed 10 Jul 2002
From: Lois Levitan <lcl3@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Source: Environmental Risk Analysis Program, Cornell University [edited]


[On 26 Aug 2001 the ProMED-mail post "PRO> Announcements 2001 (22), Archive
Number 20010826.2025", contained the following announcement: "Cornell
University's Environmental Risk Analysis Program maintains an up-to-date
website with a wealth of resources on West Nile virus. The site provides
news and links to an extensive list of resources and educational materials,
including a comprehensive bibliography of scientific literature, resources
for the public, a WNV glossary, archives to the WESTNILEVIRUS-L listserv,
and more:  <http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/erap/wnv>

The WESTNILEVIRUS-L listserv is an email discussion group for communication
and discussion about WNV, particularly regarding policy, risk reduction and
public education issues. It is moderated by Dr Lois Levitan at Cornell
University's Center for the Environment. To subscribe (or unsubscribe),
send an email request to <envrisk@xxxxxxxxxxx>. Archives are posted at:
<http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/erap/WNV/WNV-L_ArchiveIndex.html>."

The following information has been received from Dr. Levitan, which
provides a summary of the progress of the West Nile virus outbreak as of
Wed 10 Jul 2002, and some useful links. - Mod.CP]


Cornell's Environmental Risk Analysis Program (ERAP): West Nile Virus
Update & Resources; 10 Jul 2002
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
West Nile Virus has been detected in the US in at least 20 states and
Washington DC; as well as in Ontario, Canada; and in mosquitoes in the
Negev Desert in Israel. [West Nile virus is endemic in much of Europe and
the Middle East. Testing is not normally undertaken on a routine basis -
Mod.CP]. Its range has expanded in each of the 4 years since the initial
North American outbreak in 1999, and is expected to continue to expand in
2002. However, thus far in the season, Texas is the only state where West
Nile virus has been detected for the first time in 2002 (a bird on 19 Jun
2002, and then in horses, birds and mosquitoes). See the list below of
states and locations in Canada where West Nile virus has been detected.

In many places West Nile virus has been detected significantly earlier this
season than previously. For example, West Nile virus-positive birds were
not found in Massachusetts until mid-July 2001, 7 weeks later than in 2002;
and were not found in Canada until August 2001, as compared with late May
2002. In previous years West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes were not
detected in Israel until mid-summer, whereas in 2002 they were detected in
early May.

A year ago at this time (10 Jul 2001), West Nile virus was found only in 7
states (Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and
Rhode Island) and 2 years ago, had been detected only in New Jersey and New
York at this point in the year. A year earlier (3 years ago) West Nile
virus had not yet been detected in the US, although by the end of 1999 it
had been detected in 4 states, primarily within 75 miles of New York City
(NY, NJ, Connecticut, Maryland). By the close of 2001 West Nile virus was
detected in 27 states and by the end of 2000 it was in 12 states.

If confirmed, the first and thus far only human case in 2002 is a
78-year-old man from SE Louisiana, near the Mississippi border. Reports of
equine cases are inconsistent, but it appears that 7 cases are scattered
throughout Florida, one case has been confirmed from central Kentucky, 6
cases have been confirmed from southwest Louisiana, and one case from
eastern Texas.

In some areas where West Nile virus is showing up for the third and fourth
year, there seems to be a growing complacency about taking precautionary
and preventative measures. Although fortunately West Nile virus has not
caused widespread human mortality, as was initially feared by some, it can
cause unpleasant (flu-like) and sometimes long-lasting symptoms in people.
It also presents a serious risk to unvaccinated horses. Protection measures
are illustrated on a poster* newly issued by Cornell's Environmental Risk
Analysis Program (ERAP).

ERAP's West Nile virus web pages contain much additional user-friendly
information about the disease, transmission, protection measures,
educational materials, etc.: <http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/erap/wnv/ >

*The full-color 11 x 17 "Mosquito Hygiene" poster (2nd edition) contains
photos of Culex mosquitoes at each stage of development (egg, larva, pupa,
and adult) and practical information about mosquito control at each life
stage. Ordering & preview information at:
<http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/erap/WNV/default.cfm#mosquitohygiene>

West Nile virus has been detected in the following states:
Florida (ann Feb 18)
Louisiana (ann Mar 21)
Pennsylvania (found Apr 29)
Virginia (found Apr 8)
New Jersey (found Apr 16)
Washington DC (found May 1)
Illinois (found May 2)
New York (reported May 16)
Connecticut (found May 16)
Massachusetts (found May 21)
Georgia (reported May 24)
Michigan (found May 23)
Ohio (reported May 30)
Indiana (reported Jun 6)
Tennessee (reported Jun 7)
Rhode Island (found Jun 16-22)
Maryland (ann Jun 17)
Texas (ann Jun 19)
Alabama (ann Jun 20)
North Carolina (ann Jun 23)
Kentucky (ann Jun 25).

West Nile virus has been detected in the following regions of Ontario,
Canada:
Peel (May 19)
Oxford (Jun 4)
Chatham-Kent (Jun 12)
Halton (Jun 15)
Middlesex-London (Jun 17)

- --
Lois Levitan, PhD Program Leader
Environmental Risk Analysis Program
Center for the Environment
213 Rice Hall, Cornell University
Ithaca, New York USA 14853-5601
<LCL3@xxxxxxxxxxx>

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