West Nile Virus- Fact sheet

Background Information

West Nile is a type of virus that causes encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain.  The virus has been found in Africa, western Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean region of Europe, New York City Area, and last year it has been detected in Marion County, which is a reason for concern.

The West Nile can be transmitted via mosquitoes that acquire the virus from infected birds.  The virus may infect humans and horses, but there is no documentation that infected horses can spread the virus to uninfected horses or other animals.  Migrating birds may play a role in spreading the disease.

Information for You

• Dogs and Cats are unlikely to show signs of clinical illness, although any mammal or birds could potentially be exposed to the virus through mosquito bites.
• West Nile Virus seems to be carried by night-time biting mosquitoes. 

What Can I Do?

West Nile Virus is a disease that is spread by infected mosquitoes.  So the best defense against the West Nile virus is not giving them a place to breed.  One thing you can do to identify a possible threat is if you see a dead bird, that appears like it died for no reason take it in to your local health department, when handling the dead bird use gloves and put it in a zip lock bag, even though you can’t contract the disease by touching an infected animal.

Here are some things you can do around your home.

• Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers that have collected on your property.
• Pay special attention to discarded tires.  Stagnant water in tires are where most mosquitoes breed.
• Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers left outdoors.
• Have clogged roof gutter cleaned every year, particularly if the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug up drains.  Roof gutters can produce millions of mosquitoes each season.
• Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use.  Stagnant water in a wading pool becomes a place for mosquitoes to breed.
• Turn over wheelbarrows and don’t let water stagnate in birdbaths.  Both provide breeding habitats for domestic mosquitoes.
• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.  Water gardens can become major mosquitoes producers if they are allowed to stagnate.  Clean and chlorinate swimming pools not in use.  A swimming pool left untended by a family on vacation for a month can produce enough mosquitoes to result in neighborhood-wide complaints.  Mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on pool covers.
• Use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your property.  Mosquitoes may breed in any puddle that lasts for more than four days. 

References:

• USDA, APHIS, Veterinarian Services, 4700 River Road, Unit 41 Riverdale, MD 20737-1231 
• www.westnile.state.pa.us/action.htm
• www.in.gov/isdh/whatsnew/news/090801.htm
• Hendricks County Department of Health