West Nile Virus An Invasive Predator

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West Nile Virus An Invasive Predator
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What is West Nile Virus?

• West Nile Virus is a Mosquito borne disease that
  is carried by the Culex species of mosquito.
• Infected mosquitoes pass the disease onto birds,
  animals and people.
• West Nile Fever is a case of mild disease in
  people which can last up to a few days, with no
  apparent long lasting effects .
• A more severe disease due to a person being
  infected leads to encephalitis (brain
  inflammation).
• (www.westnile.state.pa.us/)

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What are the Symptoms of West Nile Virus?

• Mild cases of the disease can cause rashes,
  fever, body aches and swollen glands similar to
  flu-like symptoms.
• More serious cases are diagnosed by symptoms like
  headaches, high fevers, disorientation, stiff
  neck, convulsions or even paralysis.
• Estimations are that 20 of those infected will
  actually contract the disease and only 1 out of
  150 will actually contract a serious or fatal
  case of West Nile Virus.
• There is no treatment or vaccine for West Nile
  Virus at this time.
• However, it is considered to mostly be a
  preventable disease if the proper precautions are
  taken.
• (www.westnile.state.pa.us)

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Where is West Nile Virus?

• West Nile Virus was first discovered in Uganda in
  1937 and is still found there.
• It is also found in the Nile river basins, South
  Africa, India and Israel. (www.roche.com)
• It is unknown how WNV came into the U.S., and was
  not found in the Western Hemisphere until 1999,
  where the virus epidemic spread from New York
  City, to the suburbs and to other regions.
• You dont have to travel to other countries any
  longer to find the virus, it is alive and well in
  our backyards (literally).
• The year 2002 is when the big outbreak of cases
  was reported and as recent as 2006 there were 149
  deaths in the U.S. from West Nile.
  (www.kidshealth.org)
• As of August 14, 2007, 27 states had reported
  444 WNV cases to the CDC.

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4-Year-Old Fulton Child Has West Nile

• This was a headline in the Atlanta news on
  September 7, 2007.
• It was reported that a 4 year old child from
  Fulton County had tested positive for the virus,
  being the 2nd case reported in the county this
  year.

• The child was treated and released from the
  hospital according to the newspaper article.
• Doctors also confirmed cases had been reported in
  Gwinnett, Dekalb and Cobb Counties.
• (www.wsbtv.com/news)

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West Nile Kills Metro Atlanta Man

• This was the headline in the Atlanta news on
  September 13, 2007.
• The report came out of Jonesboro in Clayton
  county and confirmed that an 80 year old male had
  died from complications that were associated with
  West Nile Virus.
• This was the first recorded death from the virus
  in 2007 in the state of Georgia.
  (www.wsbtv.com/news)
• The elderly and anyone with compromised immune
  systems are the ones that are most susceptible to
  developing serious symptoms of West Nile Virus.
• (www.west-nile-prevention.com)

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What Can We Do?

• The following are guidelines from the Centers for
  Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia.
• Stay indoors at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes
  are most active.
• Use screens on doors and windows to keep
  mosquitoes from entering your home. You should
  also repair broken or damaged screens.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever
  you are outdoors.

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What Can We Do?

• Because mosquitoes can bite through thin
  clothing, spray your clothes with insect
  repellents containing DEET. For children, choose
  a repellent that contains no more than
  a 1030 concentration of DEET in higher
  concentrations, the chemical, which is absorbed
  through the skin, can be toxic. Be sure to read
  and follow the directions on the label.
  Repellents with picaridin and oil of lemon
  eucalyptus also offer long-term protection.
• If you apply insect repellent to exposed skin, do
  so sparingly. Do not apply repellent to your
  child's hands, as it can cause irritation if
  transmitted to the eyes or mouth.

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What Can We Do?

• Be sure to eliminate mosquito-breeding areas
  around your home by removing standing water from
  gutters, old tires, wading pools, tarps, potted
  plants, and other outside buckets and pails.
  Also, be sure the water in pet dishes and
  birdbaths is changed regularly.
• Don't rely on vitamin B or ultrasonic devices to
  prevent mosquito bites neither has been proven
  effective. (www.kidshealth.org)

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Invasive Species
Our textbook refers to West Nile Virus an
invasive species that disrupts community
interactions. Birds, animals and people in the
western hemisphere do not have the kind of
immunity that other populations in Africa and the
Middle East have because the virus has not been
in this area of the world as long as it has been
there. (chap 27 p.514)
A robin, captured in a researcher's mist net, is
the favorite source of blood for the mosquitoes
that carry West Nile virus. When robins finish
breeding and move out late in the summer,
mosquitoes increasingly target humans.
(www.washingtonpost.com)
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References

• Retrieved 9/10/2007, from http//www.wsbtv.com/ne
  ws/14066037/detail.html
• Retrieved 9/10/2007, from http//westnile.state.pa
  .us/health.htm
• Retrieved 9/10/2007, from http//www.roche.com/ser
  vice- glossary.htm?termwest- nile-virus
• Retrieved 9/10/2007, from http//kidshealth.org/p
  arent/firstaid_safe/outdoor/west_nile.html
• Retrieved 9/10/2007, from http//www.west-nile-vir
  us- prevention.com/west-nile-virus-symptoms.html
• Retrieved 9/10/2007, from http//www.washingtonpos
  t.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2006/06/25/AR2006062
  500582.html