Virus Programları
Anfos Sin
The Department of Health is conducting laboratory testing to confirm West Nile Virus cases, and monitoring any possible human cases. In addition, it has been working with healthcare providers across the state to educate them about the signs and symptoms of West Nile Virus.
DEP coordinates the Commonwealth's mosquito control program with representatives from 50 counties at the highest risk of mosquito-borne disease to develop a comprehensive mosquito surveillance and control network. The foundation of this collaborative effort is based on integrated pest management principles. Since the virus is transmitted by mosquitoes, early detection and control are key. The program is a gold member of EPA's pesticide environmental stewardship program. The Department of Environmental Protection, with the support of the legislature, provides funding to this network of counties to protect against disease and alleviate public nuisances.
The Department of Agriculture is monitoring animal populations for any signs of the virus. Due to the impact of WNV on the ruffed grouse, the Pennsylvania Game commission collaborates with the PA program to track the intensity of seasonal WNV. Seasonal data is used, in part, to determine hunting season length of the ruffed grouse.
Since 2000, Pennsylvania's State budget has included funding to prevent and mitigate the potential public-health effects of West Nile on the citizens of the Commonwealth. The funds provide necessary staffing and an improved epidemiological infrastructure to monitor and control the virus. This network, which covers 38 counties, includes mosquito and bird surveillance and monitoring people and horses. Please explore our site to find out more about how you can help reduce your risk of disease exposure, to learn about West Nile Virus or the latest surveillance update from your area.
Please Note: The PA West Nile Virus Control Program is not a hospital or clinical facility; we do not see patients and are unable to diagnose your illness, provide treatment, prescribe medication, or refer you to specialists. If you have a medical emergency, contacting the PA WNV Control Program is not the proper way to get immediate help. If you are a patient, please see your health care provider or the nearest emergency room. If you are a health care provider, please contact your state epidemiologist or local health department.
In Pennsylvania, West Nile Virus maintains itself in nature by cycling between mosquitoes in the genus Culex and certain species of birds. A mosquito (the vector) bites an uninfected bird (the host), the virus amplifies within the bird, an uninfected mosquito bites the bird and is in turn infected. This cycle compounds itself through summer and fall, increasing the likelihood of someone being bitten by a diseased mosquito.
The principal route of human infection with West Nile virus is through the bite of an infected mosquito. Additional routes of infection have become apparent as scientists and physicians continue to study the virus, they include blood transfusion and organ transplantation. It is important to note that these other methods of transmission represent a very small proportion of cases. Other methods of transmission include blood transfusion, organ transplantation, mother-to-child (ingestion of breast milk and transplacental) and occupational.
People with mild infections may experience fever, headache, body aches, skin rash and swollen lymph glands. Most people who are infected with the West Nile Virus will not have any type of illness. It is estimated that 1 in 5 people who become infected will develop West Nile fever: mild symptoms, including fever, headache, and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash on the trunk of the body and swollen lymph glands.
The symptoms of severe infection (West Nile encephalitis or meningitis) include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis. It is estimated that 1 in 150 persons infected with the West Nile Virus will develop a more severe form of disease.
Symptoms of mild disease will generally last a few days. Symptoms of severe disease may last several weeks, although neurological effects may be permanent.
There is no specific treatment or vaccine for West Nile Virus infection. Most people fully recover from the virus. In more severe cases, intensive supportive therapy is indicated, often involving hospitalization, intravenous fluids, airway management, respiratory support (ventilator), prevention of secondary infections (pneumonia, urinary tract, etc.), and good nursing care.
Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish. Water gardens can become major mosquito producers if they are allowed to stagnate. Clean and chlorinate swimming pools not in use. Mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on pool covers.
Wear shoes, socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are most active. Mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn, although the invasive Asian tiger is known to bite predominately during daylight hours.
Bti can be purchased in small, donut-shaped form, often called "mosquito dunks", which are useful in small areas of standing water, such as a birdbath or small puddle of water that may gather in a low spot on your property. A granular form of Bti is available and effective for larger areas, such as backyard ponds.
Bti can be purchased in many lawn and garden, outdoor supply, and home improvement stores. The great thing about this bacteria is that it kills only mosquito and black fly larvae. It is not harmful to people, pets, aquatic life (such as fish) or plants.
Something as innocuous as this ornamental pond can produce millions of mosquitoes capable of transmitting disease. Ornamental ponds with permanent standing water should be aerated or treated with Bti to reduce mosquito bites and West Nile Virus transmission.
West Nile Virus has been detected in a variety of bird species. Some infected birds, especially robins, crows, jays, and raptors are known to get sick and die from the infection. Reporting and testing of dead birds is one way to check for the presence of West Nile Virus in the environment. Incidents of dead or sick birds involving robins, crows, jays or raptors can be reported on this website or to your local county WNV coordinator.
West Nile Virus is transmitted to birds through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Mosquitoes become infected by biting infected birds. Some birds that are predators (such as hawks and owls) or scavengers (such as crows) may become infected after eating sick or dead birds that were already infected with West Nile Virus.
Reporting of dead birds is a good way to check for West Nile Virus activity in the environment and allow implementation of prevention and control measures to minimize the spread of the virus. The Pennsylvania Surveillance program relies on citizens to report dead birds to their West Nile county coordinator or by using the reporting tool on this website. Since the virus was detected in New York City in 1999, thousands of dead birds have been submitted for testing by citizens in the northeastern US.
The following biological agents and toxins have been determined to have the potential to pose a severe threat to both human and animal health, to plant health, or to animal and plant products. An attenuated strain of a select agent or an inactive form of a select toxin may be excluded from the requirements of the Select Agent Regulations. Here is a list of excluded agents and toxins.
[3] A virulent Newcastle disease virus (avian paramyxovirus serotype 1) has an intracerebral pathogenicity index in day-old chicks (Gallus gallus) of 0.7 or greater or has an amino acid sequence at the fusion (F) protein cleavage site that is consistent with virulent strains of Newcastle disease virus. A failure to detect a cleavage site that is consistent with virulent strains does not confirm the absence of a virulent virus.
[4] Select agents that meet any of the following criteria are excluded from the requirements of this part: Any low pathogenic strains of avian influenza virus, South American genotype of eastern equine encephalitis virus, west African clade of Mpox viruses, any strain of Newcastle disease virus which does not meet the criteria for virulent Newcastle disease virus, all subspecies Mycoplasma capricolum except subspecies capripneumoniae (contagious caprine pleuropneumonia), all subspecies Mycoplasma mycoides except subspecies mycoides small colony (Mmm SC) (contagious bovine pleuropneumonia), and any subtypes of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus except for Subtypes IAB or IC, provided that the individual or entity can verify that the agent is within the exclusion category.
[6] For determining the regulatory status of Recombinant and/or Synthetic nucleic acids that encode for the toxic form(s) of any select toxins if the nucleic acids (i) can be expressed in vivo or in vitro, or (ii) are in a vector or recombinant host genome and can be expressed in vivo or in vitro; please reference guidance here.
[7] Select agents or toxins that meet any of the following criteria are excluded from the requirements of this part: Any subspecies of Ralstonia solanacearum except race 3, biovar 2 and all subspecies of Sclerophthora rayssiae except var. zeae, provided that the individual or entity can identify that the agent is within the exclusion category.
The SARS-CoV-2 Interagency Group (SIG), established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), works to rapidly characterize emerging variants and actively monitors their potential impact on SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. The SIG is responsible for variant classifications in the United States and meets regularly to evaluate the risk posed by SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in the United States and globally to make recommendations about the variants. NIAID is a member of the SIG and supports research and surveillance activities to help inform decisions made by the SIG.
d3342ee215