W. NILE SEEN IN DEAD RAVEN COOL WEATHER SLOWS VIRUS, BUT SPRING RECURRENCE SEEN.

Byline: Daily News

PALMDALE - The West Nile virus has been detected in a dead raven found in Pearblossom, the first confirmation of the potentially deadly disease in the Antelope Valley Valley, vector control officials said.

Cold weather since the raven was picked up for testing in late October means fewer mosquitoes to spread the disease, but officials said the virus will certainly be spreading next spring, with rural communities particularly susceptible.

``Residents in the more rural areas of Pearblossom, Lake L.A. and Littlerock tend to have property with livestock and that usually means water troughs that are great potential breeding sites for mosquitoes,'' said Karen Mellor, spokeswoman for the Antelope Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

First discovered in the United States in New York in 1999 and spread steadily westward since, West Nile virus this year sickened more than 4,000 Americans. Experts had predicted its appearance this summer in California.

Dead birds are an early sign of the virus' arrival. The virus sickens humans after they are bitten by mosquitoes that have bitten infected birds. The virus is not spread by person-to-person contact.

In California, the virus was first detected in mosquitoes in August near the Salton Sea. The first locally acquired human case in the state was reported Oct. 17 in Riverside County, and a second person was infected in Imperial County.

Infected birds were found in the San Gabriel Valley in September and in the San Fernando Valley in October.

No human cases have been reported in Los Angeles County, except in an airport courier who came down with the virus in 2002 - possibly after a bite from a mosquito that arrived on a plane.

Health officials say the risk of acquiring the virus is low. Most people and animals that become infected with the virus show no symptoms, and most of those who become ill show only mild flulike symptoms.

In rare cases, the virus can cause encephalitis and death. The elderly are most at risk for severe cases of the disease. There is no specific treatment for the virus.

During the mosquito season - from March through October - the Antelope Valley Mosquito and Vector Control Districts checks for the disease by taking blood tests on chickens and trapping mosquitoes.

District technicians kill off mosquito larvae by spraying roadside ditches and gutters, catch basins, flood control channels and pools in vacant homes, but its boundaries cover mostly Lancaster and Palmdale and exclude other communities like Littlerock, Lake Los Angeles, Acton and Pearblossom.

The district also provides mosquito-eating fish to residents for fish ponds, unused swimming pools, rain barrels, and other permanent standing water sources free of charge.

To reduce exposure to the virus, health officials suggest residents follow the precautions recommended for all mosquito-borne diseases:

--Avoid mosquito-infested areas at dawn and dusk.

--Drain standing water where mosquitoes might breed. Drain and clean bird baths, wading pools and water troughs at least once a week.

--Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.

--Ensure your window screens do not have holes.

--Use insect repellent.

Additional information about West Nile virus in California can be found at www.westnile.ca.gov.

For further information, call the mosquito abatement district at [phone] or visit its Web site at www.avmosquito.org.