West Nile Virus precautions

The following campus advisory was issued by the university: West Nile Virus, which can cause disease in humans, has been identified in a dead bird in Bakersfield and in mosquitoes in Arvin. This means the virus, which also has the potential to infect horses, is likely on its way to Fresno. Since the campus has a large population of birds, a few points of information should be shared with the campus community.

The disease: WNV, caused by a virus, can cause flu-like symptoms after infection. For most people in good health, the disease should not be more serious than a rather mild ailment. However, in very young, elderly or otherwise at-risk individuals the nervous system can be involved, causing a serious and even life-threatening disease called encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. There is some emerging evidence indicating that more serious disease can follow several years after the initial infection in otherwise recovered individuals.  

Transmission: The virus cannot live for any length of time outside a living host (including mosquitoes) but can be found in the bloodstream. The most likely means of transmission, therefore, is a bite from a mosquito which has also bitten an infected bird. Bird species most likely to transmit the disease are: ravens, crows, magpies, blue jays and scrub jays. For some reason, other bird species are not likely to harbor sufficient virus particles in the blood. Horses can also be infected from birds, but horses are not the source of infection for humans. There is a vaccine available to protect horses, but nothing available for humans at this time.

What to do: Fight mosquitoes and avoid bites. Drain or prevent areas of standing water where mosquitoes breed. Wear long sleeved clothing in morning and evening times and use mosquito repellents according to directions. Maintain screens to keep mosquitoes from entering homes. Use preventative vaccines in horses following your veterinarian’s directions. For additional information on mosquito control, call the Fresno Mosquito and Vector Abatement District at 268-6565.

IF YOU FIND A DEAD CROW, RAVEN, MAGPIE, BLUE JAY or SCRUB JAY do not handle the bird. If you find a dead bird and cannot identify the species do not handle the bird. In either case, immediately call Campus Public Safety at 278- 2132 if you are on campus. This phone is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are at home, call the WNV hotline at 1-877-WNV-BIRD. Dead birds of the above-mentioned species can be an indicator that the disease is present and likely precedes infection in humans or horses.

For more information contact Dr. Michael Thomas, Department of Animal Sciences at nces at 8-4288; or Lisa Kao, at 8-4288 or at 8-4288 or Lisa Kao, Environmental Quality Manager at 8-6910.