West Nile poses only minimal threat

The recent blotter listings of police officers carrying dead crows and nonstop media coverage… The recent blotter listings of police officers carrying dead crows and nonstop media coverage might make some students think they already have West Nile virus.

Fortunately, most don’t. And, according to Allegheny County Health Department Spokesman Dave Zazac, the chances of them getting it are almost nothing. It’s all because of bugs, or, more precisely, the lack of bugs.

Mosquitoes transmit the disease to humans and Pitt’s campus, being in an urban area, has minimal exposure to mosquitoes and mosquito breeding areas, which are all in still or stagnant water.

In the past week, the ACHD found the first mosquitoes in the county that tested positive for the virus. County Health Director Bruce W. Dixon, in a statement released after the mosquitoes tested positive, called the results ” a logical progression of West Nile with the discovery of birds.” The county had 13 birds test positive this summer.

He also said that the results are no cause for undue alarm.

“No human cases have been reported,” he said. “And this is still the good news that we can say to people who may be concerned.”

Zazac said that the state has been treating known mosquito breeding sites since May 17 and testing mosquitoes since the middle of May. He also stated that the fact that it took until now for a mosquito to test positive bodes well.

“Hopefully, we will not see our first human case,” he said. “We are trying to do our part to make sure that the next step doesn’t happen.”

West Nile virus was first found in the United States in the Bronx Zoo in 1999, but the first case found in Pennsylvania was not until the summer of 2000, when it was discovered in a mosquito. The prime seasons for the virus are summer and early fall, when birds migrate and mosquitoes turn to new sources for blood.

Zazac said that most of the efforts to fight mosquito breeding are directed at places where water becomes stagnant. Those can be anywhere from swamps to old snow tires sitting in someone’s back yard, and are vastly more common in rural areas.

“People should realize, especially [Pitt] students, that their chances are probably nil of even coming into contact with the virus,” he said.

He said that basic maintenance of birdbaths, pools and containers can make a huge difference in chances for mosquito breeding to develop. Changing water in pools, emptying child-sized plastic wading pools, drilling holes in recycling buckets and keeping the back yard clear of old pots or pans are the most basic things. Also, cleaning clogged gutters and being careful of pool covers is a good idea. Old tires, which retain both heat and water, are often referred to by the ACHD as “mosquito nurseries” and are among the most likely to be used as breeding sites.

“Once you eliminate the places for mosquitoes to breed, that takes away a lot of possibilities for West Nile virus,” Zazac said.

Since mosquitoes can start breeding in only four days, Zazac said that people should try to be aware of their surroundings and premises.

He also said the chances of being bitten can be reduced by wearing long sleeves or pants, especially if you are going to be out at dusk or before dawn or in a wooded area.

“A good dose of common sense can really go a long way,” he said.

The ACHD is getting more than 300 calls a day about West Nile, according to Zazac. Most of the callers are inquiring about what to do with dead birds or just asking for information.

In the recent media frenzy about the disease, Zazac said that West Nile has “captured the imagination” of the public, but that most people do not need to be afraid.

Less than 1 percent of people bitten by an infected mosquito come down with the disease, which is usually flu-like in nature. And even then, the vast majority of people recover fully. It is only the rare cases, usually in elderly or those with poor immune systems, which can develop more severe cases, according to Zazac. Although, he added, any time people exhibit symptoms that include fever or swollen lymph glands, they should be seeing a doctor anyway.

Zazac said that if someone finds a dead crow, blue jay, owl or hawk, they can bring it to the ACHD. If it is in good condition, it is transported to the state health department. Then, if it is infected, the health department advises the owner of the property on which the bird was found about how to check for mosquito breeding grounds and supplies the owner with larvacide. Zazac stressed that humans cannot get the virus from a bird, and that the bird was often bitten and infected miles from where it was found.

For more information about West Nile, visit the ACHD Web site at www.allegheny.county.pa.us/achd.