Mosquito traps track West Nile virus.Byline: Tim Christie The Register-Guard Lane County Public Health officials will begin trapping and testing mosquitoes for West Nile virus West Nile virus, microorganism and the infection resulting from it, which typically produces no symptoms or a flulike condition. The virus is a flavivirus and is related to a number of viruses that cause encephalitis. next week as part of an effort to keep track of the disease that made its first major incursion in·cur·sion n. 1. An aggressive entrance into foreign territory; a raid or invasion. 2. The act of entering another's territory or domain. 3. into Oregon last year. The number of human cases of West Nile virus jumped to 73 last year in Oregon, including the state's first death, up from eight cases in 2005. All but one of the cases occurred in Eastern Oregon Eastern Oregon is a geographical term that is generally taken to mean the area of the state of Oregon east of the Cascade Range, save the region around The Dalles and sometimes Klamath County. The area around Bend is considered to be Central Oregon rather than Eastern Oregon. , including 55 in Malheur County. Public health officials say based on the experience of other states, they expect the number of human cases to increase again this year as the disease continues its westward march into the state's more populous counties. No human cases have been detected in Lane County, and last year, a single bird, found in Santa Clara Santa Clara, city, Cuba Santa Clara (sän`tä klä`rä), city (1994 est. pop. 217,000), capital of Villa Clara prov., central Cuba. , was confirmed to have the disease. Public health officials say surveillance and prevention are the keys to containing the virus. That's why, starting Thursday, John Parrott, an Oregon State University Oregon State University, at Corvallis; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered 1858 as Corvallis College, opened 1865. In 1868 it was designated Oregon's land-grant agricultural college and was taken over completely by the state in 1885. Extension agent, will begin trapping and testing mosquitoes once a week, continuing until early September. The purpose of the testing is to determine the prevalence of the virus in the region's mosquitoes, to guide mosquito control and public education. Parrott will set two cylindrical traps in each of three sites around Lane County. The traps are set in areas where birds roost because the birds attract mosquitoes. Each trap has two cylinders, one filled with dry ice and the other with a battery-operated light and fan. The dry ice emits carbon dioxide carbon dioxide, chemical compound, CO2, a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is about one and one-half times as dense as air under ordinary conditions of temperature and pressure. , which attracts mosquitoes because it mimics a large mammal breathing. As the insects are drawn towards the carbon dioxide and the light, they are pulled in through the fan into a small mesh bag. Parrott said he expects to get about 200 mosquitoes in each bag. In the lab, he uses a microscope to sort the mosquitoes by species, sex and site. The three species that most commonly transmit West Nile virus in Oregon are Culex Culex /Cu·lex/ (ku´leks) a genus of mosquitoes found throughout the world, many species of which are vectors of disease-producing organisms. Cu·lex n. Pipiens, Culex Tarsalis and AE Vexans. In 2003, 36 percent of Culex Tarsalis tested in the United States were positive for West Nile virus, making it the No. 1 transmitter of the disease, Parrott said. "I can tell you there are positive mosquitoes in Lane County right now, but I can't prove it with a test," he said. "Lane County is so large, that the number of sites we are able to test is a very small sample of what is out there." Compared with other public health threats, the risk of contracting West Nile virus is relatively low. Last year in the United States, there were 4,269 confirmed human cases of West Nile virus, resulting in 1,459 cases of encephalitis encephalitis (ĕnsĕf'əlī`təs), general term used to describe a diffuse inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, usually of viral origin, often transmitted by mosquitoes, in contrast to a bacterial infection of the meninges or meningitis - both severe diseases of the central nervous system - and 177 deaths. Food borne illness, meanwhile, sickens about 76 million Americans each year, of whom 325,000 wind up in the hospital and 5,000 end up dead, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), agency of the U.S. Public Health Service since 1973, with headquarters in Atlanta; it was established in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center. . Influenza sends about 114,000 Americans to the hospital each year and kills about 36,000, the CDC See Control Data, century date change and Back Orifice. CDC - Control Data Corporation says. WEST NILE VIRUS What is West Nile virus? A potentially serious illness of the central nervous system that first appeared in the United States in 1999, but now has become a seasonal epidemic in North America. How can I prevent the virus? Use insect repellent outdoors, particularly at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active; remove sources of standing water; keep screens on windows. What are the symptoms? About 1 in 150 people infected with the virus will develop serious illness; symptoms include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor stupor /stu·por/ (stoo´per) [L.] 1. a lowered level of consciousness. 2. in psychiatry, a disorder marked by reduced responsiveness.stu´porous stu·por n. , disorientation disorientation /dis·or·i·en·ta·tion/ (-or?e-en-ta´shun) the loss of proper bearings, or a state of mental confusion as to time, place, or identity. , coma, tremors, convulsions Convulsions Also termed seizures; a sudden violent contraction of a group of muscles. Mentioned in: Heat Disorders , muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. Symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent. About 20 percent of infected persons will develop milder symptoms; 80 percent of those infected will show no symptoms. WEST NILE VIRUS How does the virus spread? Most often, mosquitoes become infected from feeding on infected birds, then spread the disease to humans and other animals when they bite. How is the virus treated? There is no specific treatment; in milder cases, symptoms such as fever and aches pass on their own. In more severe cases, people usually are hospitalized so they can get intravenous fluids, help with breathing and nursing care. What should I do if I think I have West Nile virus? Milder cases improve on their own and don't necessarily require medical treatment. If you suffer more severe symptoms, such as severe headaches or confusion, seek medical attention immediately. What is the risk of getting sick from West Nile virus? People over 50 are at higher risk of getting severe illness. Spending time outdoors increases your risk. The risk of getting the virus through medical procedures, such as blood transfusions, is very lowbecause the blood is tested for West Nile virus before it is used. What if I find a dead bird? Don't handle it with your bare hands. Call Lane County Public Health at 682-3497 only if the dead bird is a blue jay or crow; it's been dead for less than 24 hours; it didn't die from traumatic injuries. If you get a message or find the bird after normal business hours BUSINESS HOURS. The time of the day during which business is transacted. In respect to the time of presentment and demand of bills and notes, business hours generally range through the whole day down to the hours of rest in the evening, except when the paper is payable it a bank or by a , place the bird in a plastic bag and then put the bag into the freezer. For more information: Visit the Lane County Web site at www.lanecounty.org; the Oregon Department of Human Services at www.dhs.state.or.us; or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/westnile - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lane County Public Health |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion