West Nile Virus Found In Chickens Near North Escambia

August 18, 2011

Sentinel chickens near North Escambia have tested positive for the West Nile Virus.

The Baldwin County (Ala.) Health Department announced Tuesday that the chickens in Rabun and Fairhope tested positive for West Nile. Rabun is less than 10 miles from Nokomis in the northwestern corner of Escambia County, Florida.

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.

So far this year, there have been no reports of the West Nile Virus in North Escambia.

Comments

5 Responses to “West Nile Virus Found In Chickens Near North Escambia”

  1. 429SCJ on August 21st, 2011 10:00 am

    If the County will furnish the chemicals and fuel, I will volunteer and drive that vehicle all over the county, spraying those mosquitos. I will be glad to sign a liability waver and submit to a drug test. I remember John Kennedy talking about volunteering.

  2. Jodie on August 18th, 2011 2:19 pm

    The mosquito trucks are not running around like last year. They said on the news last night that the trucks weren’t really needed because we are in a drought.

    Horsehockey!!!!!! Ours are big enough to carry you away.

    They need to run the trucks up here in the northern part of the county. I’ve called them but have not had a response yet.

  3. jcellops on August 18th, 2011 10:16 am

    interesting occurance- in cantonment, a few weeks ago, for several days we had an influx of HUGH mosquitos (about 5 times the size of normal ones)…they mostly became noticable as the sun was going down to dark…didnt have them like that last year, as i recall.

  4. Jane on August 18th, 2011 9:40 am

    Did you call the mosquito control in Escambia County? If you call they may come out…they did last year. It helps a bit but mostly you have to get rid of Magnolia leaves, pots with water in them, etc.

  5. 429SCJ on August 18th, 2011 6:11 am

    I have not seen the first mosquito control truck this year. I guess the economic collaspe has left those parked at the county barn. When I go camping on Escambia river, I use high sulpher diesel fuel in my tiki torchs. Cintronella does not even bother these mosquitos, they are tough.