West Nile Virus fears rise again
Pastor Dale Morgan
West Nile Virus fears rise again*
25 Indiana counties test positive for virus
BY PAM THARP
AND REBECCA HELMES
STAFF WRITERS
The rapid spread of the West Nile virus in Indiana this month has state
health officials worried that 2006 could be a repeat of 2002.
Indiana had 293 human cases of West Nile Fever and the virus was
reported in every county in Indiana in 2002.
By Wednesday, 25 Indiana counties had positive tests for West Nile in
mosquitoes and dead birds, with five of those counties added to the list
in the last two weeks. That's the largest increase in such a short
period since 2002, according to state records.
West Nile is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes that have first bitten
an infected bird.
A crow in Randolph County tested positive for the virus on Aug. 9, the
only area county where the virus has been found, said Erik Deckers,
spokesman for the state health department. Only one human case has been
reported this year, in Jackson County.
"The dramatic rise in positives means an increased risk for West Nile
transmission to humans," James Howell, DVM, veterinary epidemiologist
with the Indiana State Department of Health, said in a press release.
"We will continue to have a high risk of transmission until late
September. We have every reason to suspect that (the virus) is still
present in all counties. Just because it hasn't been reported in a
particular county doesn't mean it's not there."
Plentiful rain, followed by hot weather, speeds the breeding process for
mosquitoes, resulting in a lot of mosquito activity, Deckers said. In
the past, most human West Nile cases were reported between mid-July and
mid-September.
"We're encouraging people to take precautions personally and in their
yards," Deckers said.
The virus usually results in a mild illness known as West Nile Fever,
which can cause fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph glands or a
rash. The possibility of more severe complications exists with the
fever, especially in people over age 50.
Wayne County has sent some specimens to the state for testing, but none
was positive for West Nile virus, said Mark Linderman, environmental
specialist for the Wayne County Health Department.
"That's not to say it's not here," Linderman said.
The health department sprays for mosquito larvae on a per-request basis,
but the county mostly relies on public education to prevent West Nile
cases, Linderman said.
Union County Sanitarian Ron Parker sent in one dead bird for testing,
but the test was negative for West Nile. Parker isn't trapping
mosquitoes for testing this year, but has applied larvaecide to kill
mosquito larvae in places where there have been mosquito problems in the
past, said health office administrator Diann Timberman.
"So far, we've had very little activity this year," Timberman said.