Contact: Kimberly Hattaway 919-715-3204
Date: November 1, 2001 Distribution: Statewide
West Nile Virus and EEE Found in NC Sentinel Chicken
RALEIGH - The Public Health Pest Management Section today announced that a sentinel chicken in Pitt County tested positive for two viruses carried by mosquitoes - West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Two additional chickens within the same sentinel flock also tested positive for EEE. The State Public Health Laboratory confirmed these findings.
State officials regularly test chickens used specifically as indicators for EEE, West Nile virus, and other viruses carried by mosquitoes. Sentinel chicken flocks are maintained throughout the state for this purpose.
This new case brings North Carolina's total West Nile virus cases for 2001 to twelve. Earlier findings of West Nile virus in the state this year include a blue jay found in Cabarrus County and a crow found in Chowan County that tested positive for West Nile virus on October 18; a blue jay found in Cabarrus County reported on September 17; two crows found in Camden County reported on September 28; two crows found in Currituck County reported on October 9; one crow found in Mecklenburg County reported on October 9; one horse from Hyde County reported on October 9; and two sentinel chickens found in Hyde County on October 14.
When West Nile virus was detected in the state in October 2001, acting State Health Director Leah Devlin issued a Public Health Warning advising residents to be diligent in protecting themselves against mosquito bites. This warning remains in effect.
West Nile virus may cause flu-like symptoms in humans, such as headache, swollen glands, and muscle aches, as well as a rash. Usually West Nile virus only causes mild disease in humans, but the virus may occasionally cause encephalitis, meningitis, and even death. Elderly people are most likely to be severely affected by West Nile virus.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis is not new to North Carolina, where one to three cases are reported every year. Like West Nile virus, it can also cause flu-like symptoms in humans. If the disease progresses, it can cause tremors, convulsions, coma, and death. Young children and elderly people are most susceptible to this virus. About half of human EEE cases are fatal, and even survivors may suffer from long-term effects to the nervous system.
As the weather continues to get cold, the risk of human infection with a mosquito-borne virus becomes significantly less than in warmer months, because mosquitoes do not thrive in cold temperatures. While it is possible that parts of the state will continue to experience weather warm enough for mosquito breeding even in November, it would be surprising to see human cases this late in mosquito season.
To minimize exposure to West Nile virus and EEE, state mosquito control experts recommend avoiding mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves and long pants and using a repellent containing low concentrations of DEET (30%-35%). Children should use 10 percent concentrations of DEET. Outdoor activities in the evening, when mosquitoes are most active, should be avoided, as should areas where there are a lot of mosquitoes. People should check around their homes and empty any containers holding water such as tires, birdbaths, and flowerpots. Screens should be used on doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering homes.
In addition to protecting themselves from mosquito bites, North Carolina residents can help reduce the health risk from West Nile virus by reporting dead or dying birds to public health officials. The three kinds of birds that are of particular concern are crows, blue jays, and hawks, but residents should report any bird behaving strangely. Birds reported should be no more than 48 hours dead. Residents are encouraged to report birds to their local health departments. Birds can also be reported to the Public Health Pest Management Section at 1-877-790-1747 or via e-mail at NCWNV@NCmail.net. More information on reporting birds and an online form for reporting dead birds is also available at www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/phpm/deadbirdform/index.html.
West Nile Virus was first detected in North Carolina last year in a dead crow found at Jordan Lake State Park in Chatham County by a conservation biologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is important to remember that the virus is transmitted to humans when a mosquito bites an infected bird and then bites a human. It is not known to pass directly from birds to humans or from human to human.
West Nile Virus originates from Africa, west Asia, and Europe. It was first found in the United States in the summer of 1999 in New York City. Since then West Nile Virus has spread down the eastern seaboard of the United States and to Midwestern and Gulf states. With the addition of North Carolina, 25 states and the District of Columbia have now reported evidence of the virus. The other states are Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia.
Any decision to spray for mosquitoes will be made by local health officials based upon a number of factors including whether the area of concern is densely populated and weather patterns. Experts with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Public Health Pest Management Section will collect and test mosquitoes in the area to look for further evidence of the virus. Surveillance for the presence of West Nile Virus in the rest of the state through mosquito and dead bird collection and testing will continue.
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