Health and Wellness Tips
Pennsylvania 2006 West Nile Virus Control Program
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West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne disease that can cause encephalitis, a brain inflammation. Infected mosquitoes pass the virus onto birds, animals and people. West Nile virus was first detected in North America in 1999 in New York, and in Pennsylvania in 2000 in birds, mosquitoes and a horse. Prior to that it had only been found in Africa, Eastern Europe, and West Asia. West Nile virus cases occur primarily in the mid summer or early fall, although mosquito season is usually April-October. In 2000, West Nile virus appeared for the first time in Pennsylvania in birds, mosquitoes and a horse. |
Lycoming County's new Pro-Mist electric ULV sprayer. This sprayer will be used to control adult mosquitoes to control WNV in the county. |
To combat the spread of West Nile virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, Pennsylvania has developed a comprehensive network.
This network, which covers all 67 counties, includes trapping mosquitoes, collecting dead birds and monitoring horses, people and sentinel chickens.
What's New? Bti for Home Use
State DEP and county mosquito control professionals have been using Bti, a naturally occurring bacteria, to kill mosquito larvae for years. This material is now becoming widely available for you to buy and use yourself at home.
Bti can be purchased in small, donut-shaped form, often called "mosquito dunks", which are useful in small areas of standing water, such as a birdbath or small puddle of water that may gather in a low spot on your property. A granular form of Bti is available, and effective for larger areas, such as backyard ponds.
Bti can be purchased in many lawn and garden, outdoor supply, and home improvement stores. The great thing about this bacteria is that it kills only mosquito and black fly larvae. It is not harmful to people, pets, aquatic life (such as fish) or plants.
The best way to control mosquitoes is still to get rid of standing water on your property. And, make sure you follow all label instructions carefully if you use Bti at home.
The principle route of human infection with West Nile virus is through the bite of an infected mosquito. Additional routes of infection became apparent during the 2002 West Nile epidemic. It is important to note that these other methods of transmission represent a very small proportion of cases. Other methods of transmission include blood transfusion, organ transplantation, mother-to-child (ingestion of breast milk and transplacental) and occupational.To combat the spread of West Nile virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, Pennsylvania has developed a comprehensive network. To help detect, track and control the virus, the Pennsylvania departments of Health, Environmental Protection (DEP) and Agriculture developed a comprehensive surveillance program.
Pennsylvania's plan has three parts- education, surveillance and, if the surveillance program determines there is a risk, the control of mosquitoes.
The Department of Health is conducts laboratory testing to confirm West Nile
virus cases, and monitoring any possible human cases. It collects and tests
dead bird samples. In addition, it works with health care providers across
the state to educate them about the signs and symptoms of West Nile virus.
DEP works with representatives from all 67 counties to develop a comprehensive
mosquito surveillance and control network. Since the virus is transmitted
by mosquitoes, early detection and control is key.
The Department of Agriculture monitors animal populations for any signs of the virus. It has established sentinel chicken sites throughout Pennsylvania, and assists the Department of Health in dead bird testing.
Since 2000, Pennsylvania's State budget has included funding to prevent and mitigate the potential public-health effects of West Nile on the citizens of the Commonwealth. The funds provide necessary staffing and an improved epidemiological infrastructure to monitor and control the virus. This network, which covers all 67 counties, includes trapping mosquitoes, collecting dead birds and monitoring horses, people and sentinel chickens.
Explore the PA State website, www.westnile.state.pa.us to find out more about how you can help, to learn about more West Nile virus or the latest surveillance update from your area.
The best way to control mosquitoes is still to get rid of standing water on your property.
Tips to Eliminate Standing Water
- Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers that have accumulated on your property. Do not overlook containers that have become overgrown by aquatic vegetation;
- Pay special attention to discarded tires that may have accumulated on your property;
- Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers that are left outdoors. Drainage holes that are located on a container's sides allow them to collect enough water for mosquitoes to breed;
- Clean clogged roof gutters on an annual basis, particularly if the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug up the drains. Roof gutters are easily overlooked but can produce millions of mosquitoes each season;
- Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use. A wading pool becomes a mosquito producer if it is not used on a regular basis;
- Turn over wheelbarrows, and do not allow water to stagnate in birdbaths for more than four days. Both provide breeding habitat for domestic mosquitoes;
- Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish. Water gardens are fashionable but become major mosquito producers if they are allowed to stagnate;
- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools that are not being used. Be aware that mosquitoes may even breed in water that collects on swimming pool covers; and
- Use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your property. Mosquitoes will develop in any puddle that lasts for more than four days.
How You Can Help with Dead Bird Reporting
The West Nile virus infects certain wild birds. The infected birds, especially crows, are known to get sick and die from the infection. Reporting of dead birds is a good way to check for West Nile virus activity in the environment and allow implementation of prevention and control measures to minimize the spread of the virus. The Pennsylvania Dead Bird Surveillance program for West Nile virus relies on Commonwealth citizens to report and submit dead birds seen around their property or elsewhere to their local health department. Since the virus was detected in New York City in 1999, thousands of dead birds have been submitted for testing by citizens in the northeastern US. Pennsylvania residents are strongly encouraged to report and submit dead birds. Residents should take the following steps when they see a dead bird:
- To report dead bird sightings online, go to the website below:
www.westnile.state.pa.us/apphosting/birdreporting.asp (this web site will open in a new window)
- Generally, crows, jays, hawks, and owls only are tested for West Nile Virus. If you are interested in submitting your dead bird for testing, call the 1-877-PA-HEALTH toll-free line to see if your county is still accepting submissions, and for instructions on how to drop-off a dead bird.
- Avoid bare-hand contact when handling dead birds. Use rubber gloves when handling a dead bird. If you do not have gloves, insert your hand into a plastic bag, grasp the bird carefully and invert the bag over the bird. Each bird should be placed in tied plastic bag, and then placed inside a second tied bag.
- If you are not submitting the bird for testing, the bagged bird can be placed in the trash.
- If you have been asked to submit the dead bird for testing, take the bird to the nearest drop off site as instructed.
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Blue Jay |
Owl |
Hawk |
Crow |
For future updates visit the West Nile web site www.westnile.state.pa.us/ (this web site will open in a new window) or call the Department of Health toll-free telephone number at 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1-877-724-3258).
Dead birds
When a dead bird is sighted, the information about that bird is recorded. If the bird meets the criteria for testing, it is collected and sent for testing. Samples are from each bird are tested for WNV. This table records the surveillance effort in Pennsylvania by whole birds, rather than partial tissues from the birds.
Mosquitoes
All mosquitoes collected in one effort create a sample of mosquitoes. This sample is sent to the lab for identification. A sample can include either larval or adult mosquitoes. Only adult mosquitoes are tested for WNV. All mosquitoes are identified, and adults are divided into sub samples by species for testing. This table records the surveillance effort in Pennsylvania by samples, rather than sub samples of mosquitoes.
Sentinel and Vet Samples
Pennsylvania's captive sentinel surveillance system involves sentinel chickens. Several flocks will be housed near areas with large human populations and stagnant water sources, in hopes of alerting us to the presence of the virus if it enters a populated area. Samples from these sentinels are collected weekly and tested for WNV. In addition, equine diagnostic blood samples submitted by veterinarians across the state will be tested for WNV. Since it is impossible to differentiate between naturally infected horses and vaccinated horses, it is important that the vaccination history of any horse that is being tested be provided to the laboratory. A reporting form is available for submission with samples from the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory.
Montgomery County Health Department’s 2006 West Nile Virus Program
The Montgomery County Health Department’s West Nile virus program began April 1, 2006. MCHD has begun surveillance of public areas throughout the county which may harbor mosquitoes. Control products are being used where larvae are found, to prevent adult mosquitoes from emerging.
MCHD will not be collecting dead birds, or dead bird reports, this year. While dead bird surveillance has been a useful indicator in the past, the presence of the virus is now well-established in Montgomery County. As West Nile virus is spread to humans through infected mosquitoes, not birds, the program will focus on preventing and controlling mosquitoes.
Residents may still report a dead bird by going to the Pennsylvania West Nile website at http://www.westnile.state.pa.us.
To protect our county we are asking residents to help reduce the mosquito population. Here are some things that can be done:
- Remove from around your home and neighborhood anything that might hold standing water. For example: old tires, buckets and wheelbarrows.
- Report any standing water that you cannot remove.
- Protect yourself from mosquito bites by wearing protective clothing and using mosquito repellents carefully, as labeled. (see the CDC guidance at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/insect_repellent.htm
A resident who sees a dead bird on his/her property can dispose of it. While touching dead birds does not spread West Nile virus, it is recommended that bare-hand contact be avoided when handling dead birds. This will prevent exposure to potentially harmful bacteria such as Salmonella. Use gloves or inverted plastic bags to cover your hands while placing the dead bird in a small garbage bag. Tie that bag shut, repeat with a second bag, and dispose of the bird in an outdoor covered trash receptacle. Your hand coverings should also be double-bagged and discarded.
If more than 5 dead birds are found in the same vicinity contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission at 610-926-3136.
