Turlock Journal
Wednesday, July 27, 2005

A 46 year-old Stanislaus County woman was recently diagnosed with the first human case of West Nile virus in the county. Her identity and town of residence are being withheld.

According to Stanslaus County Health Services Agency, the patient was diagnosed by a private physician as having a neuroinvasive form of West Nile disease. This is the severe form of WNV, and the patient is currently hospitalized.

“Diagnosis is based upon a specific set of laboratory tests showing recent development of antibodies to the virus. Preliminary screening [was] done locally,” said Dr. John Walker, Stanislaus County Public Health Officer.

The health officer said that confirmatory tests [were] done at the state Public Health Laboratory. “We waited for confirmatory tests to make the definitive diagnosis.”

Walker reported this week that West Nile virus activity is rapidly increasing in the Central Valley. “We must make every effort to stop mosquitoes from breeding and take precautions with our families,” he said.

SCHSA statements on the West Nile virus notes that the disease is not spread from person-to-person. It is transmitted to humans and animals through a mosquito bite. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds.

People typically develop symptoms from two to 15 days after they are bitten by the infected mosquito.

With the confirmed arrival of the West Nile virus in Stanislaus County, local mosquito abatement districts have stepped up spraying efforts and stopped collecting dead birds that can indicate the presence of the virus.

The state’s first human death this year form the illness was reported as being an elderly Kings County man.

Health officials stress, however, that less than 1 percent of individuals who get West Nile will develop a serious illness such as encephalitis and meningitis. Most will never know they had the disease.

“Many people who are exposed to the virus never become sick or they have mild symptoms. They don’t realize it’s West Nile,” said Walker.

Symptoms of West Nile may be flu-like such as fever, headache weakness, swollen glands and rash. The elderly and those with lowered immune systems are more susceptible to serious illness.

Dead birds in an area may mean the virus is circulating between the birds and the mosquitoes there.

County officials have reported more than a dozen infected birds and eight infected mosquito pools.

The East Side Mosquito Abatement District, which serves northern Stanislaus County, will commit its staff to spraying for the virus rather than continuing to collect dead birds.

District officials said that half of the eight dead birds collected this month in northern Modesto tested positive for the virus.

While dead birds will no longer be collected for testing, the public should continue to report any dead birds. Residents are encouraged to dispose of these birds through double bagging into routine trash disposal bins.

Residents who have found a dead bird are asked to contact the California Department of Health Services by calling toll free 1-877-WNV-BIRD ( 1-877-968-2473) or submit the information via the web site at www.westnile.ca.gov.

Stanislaus County has a virus hotline in both English and Spanish with recorded information on the disease. The public can call 209-558-8425.
On-line West Nile virus information also in available at www.hsahealth.org.

Helpful tips to avoid the virus, according to Stanislaus County Health Services are:

• Avoid going outdoors when mosquitoes are most active between dusk and dawn.
• When outdoors, wear long pants an long-sleeved shirts.
• Use insect repellant, which contains DEET.
• Remove any standing water from your property. Water that stands four days or
  more helps mosquitoes to breed.
• Fix window or door screens, which are broken and make sure they, fit tightly.
• If you see a dead bird, call 1-877-968-2473.