For immediate release: September 20, 2006 (06-149)

Contacts:
Donn Moyer, Communications Office 360-236-4076
Deanna Mill, Communications Office 360-236-4022

West Nile virus update: dead bird from Yakima County tests positive
Yakima area has several horse cases; one confirmed human case in state, from Pierce County

OLYMPIA ? A magpie from Yakima County has tested positive for West Nile virus. Four horses in Yakima County have tested positive for West Nile infection this season, and the first human case acquired in this state ? a Pierce County man in his 40s ? was confirmed last week.

According to the Washington State Department of Health, the magpie was collected last week near Union Gap and sent to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Washington State University for testing. It?s the first West Nile virus-positive dead bird in our state this season.

"Testing for West Nile virus in mosquitoes, horses and dead birds helps show where the disease is active," said Dorothy Tibbetts, director of the agency?s zoonotic disease program. "These tests show West Nile is active in parts of eastern Washington. We put a lot of effort into monitoring and tracking the disease in our state because we know people are concerned. The best protection against West Nile infection is to avoid mosquito bites."

The magpie was collected and submitted by the Yakima Health District as part of the state Department of Health monitoring program. Many local and state agencies as well as private volunteer groups are participating in the monitoring. The program has submitted nearly 300 dead birds (at least 296) for testing this season and this is the only positive result, so far.

West Nile virus has spread across the country since it was first detected in 1999.Tibbetts says mosquitoes typically are active in Washington into the fall, and she urges people to continue reporting dead birds to local health agencies for possible collection.

Simple measures can reduce the risk of exposure to mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus. Avoiding mosquito bites is the key:

West Nile virus is primarily a bird disease. Crows, ravens, jays and magpies are especially susceptible. Mosquitoes become infected by feeding on an infected bird and can pass the virus to humans, horses or other hosts.

"Most people infected with West Nile virus don?t have any symptoms but in a few cases, the virus can cause serious illness including inflammation of the brain or spinal cord; people over age 50 have the highest risk for serious illness," said Dr. Jo Hofmann, state epidemiologist for communicable disease. "There?s no specific treatment for West Nile virus infection."

More information on West Nile virus (www.doh.wa.gov/WNV) is available on the Department of Health Web site and online from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/). Gordon Kelly of the Yakima Health District is available at 509-249-6507 to answer questions about local West Nile virus monitoring and other local environmental health issues.

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