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Another Chicken Tests Positive For West Nile Virus
July 29, 2009
A chicken from the Pollard area in Escambia County (Ala.) has tested positive for West Nile Virus. Pollard is east of Flomaton, about three miles from North Escambia.
The Escambia County (Ala.) Health Department announced Tuesday that the sentinel chicken from the Pollard area tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). Previously the virus was detected in the Riverview area near Brewton. Ongoing public health surveillance has detected no mosquito-borne virus activity in humans in Escambia County this year.
“With summer in full swing and many people enjoying outdoor activities, it is important that residents make efforts to reduce their exposure to mosquitoes,” said Escambia County (Ala.) Health Department Environmentalist Josh Coleman. “Keep your mosquito repellent with you at all times when you are working or recreating outdoors.”
West Nile virus, EEE and other mosquito-borne viruses are transmitted from bird to mosquito to bird. Occasionally, the same mosquitoes will take blood from mammals, including humans and horses. Humans and horses can sometimes become ill from the infection. The likelihood of transmission to humans and horses can be decreased by personal mosquito avoidance and the use of WNV and EEE vaccine in horses. There is no vaccine available for humans, health officials said.
The Escambia County (Ala.) Health Department established a mosquito control program in 2008 that includes surveillance activities such as mosquito trapping and sentinel chicken surveillance. These activities are conducted to monitor for mosquito-borne diseases and track mosquito populations. Serum samples are taken each week from the six sentinel chicken flocks and tested for the presence of WNV, EEE and St. Louis Encephalitis virus.
Comments
2 Responses to “Another Chicken Tests Positive For West Nile Virus”
If the movie “Food Inc” comes through the area check it out. It is by the authors of “Fast Food Nation” and “Omnivore’s Dilemma” .
As the chickern, er crow, flies, I bet some of dem skeeters been down to the river in Florida too.