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Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass is warning horse owners to control mosquitoes around their animals to minimize the chance of their equines contracting West Nile Virus (WNV).
“The most important thing farmers can do is to eliminate standing water around barns and other places where animals gather,” said Commissioner Douglass. “Mosquitoes breed only in standing water. Eliminating old tires or poorly draining areas can go a long way toward protecting your horses.”
Commissioner Douglass also recommended that people contact their local veterinarians about vaccinating their horses – which are particularly susceptible to WNV – against the disease.
Officials with the state Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Infectious Disease Epidemiology Program are reporting a very high number of WNV-positive mosquito pools compared to previous years, and the percentage of positives continues to climb as the year progresses. However, so far this year, WNV reports in humans and animals have been scarce. A Fayette County horse was confirmed with WNV July 9, and a WNV-positive starling was reported in Hancock County June 23. No human cases have been reported in West Virginia.
Pennsylvania has reported two positive crows through July 27, 10 counties with positive mosquito pools and no human positives. Ohio has found 57 positive pools through mid-July, no human cases and one positive horse.
Ohio is not collecting birds for analysis. Maryland also is not conducting avian sampling, and has no reported human or horse cases. It is reporting only one positive mosquito pool.
DHHR Public Health Entomologist Greg Chrislip said it is difficult to draw conclusions when comparing state data because of differences in each state’s surveillance programs.
However, he noted that WNV-positive mosquito pools in West Virginia already number twice the total of all last year - and sampling will continue through October 31.
“This year, we have documented more than 90 WNV-positive mosquito pools, which means we could see three-to-four times the number of positive pools we had in 2008,” said Chrislip, who said this year’s weather has left alot of wet areas throughout the state for mosquitoes to breed. He speculated that as conditions dry out, mosquito populations may become more concentrated and more problematic for humans and animals that encounter them.
“I’m really surprised we haven’t seen any human cases, but we still have a long way to go. A teaspoon full of standing water is enough for mosquitoes to breed, so the potential is definitely there,” Chrislip said.
Although West Virginia is still analyzing dead birds, Chrislip said anyone who has suspicions about bird deaths should contact their local health department before picking up and submitting dead birds, as the carcasses may be of little use to researchers.
Like Commissioner Douglass, Chrislip also recommended eliminating standing water from around homes, and making sure houses have good screens in windows and doors to prevent mosquito entry. It is also advisable to wear insect repellants, long sleeves and long pants when exposure to mosquitoes is likely, and to make sure gutters drain freely and don’t hold standing water, he said. Recommended insect repellants are those containing DEET, picaridan, oil of lemon eucalyptus and ir3535.
Although severe WNV cases are rare in humans, it can cause serious illness due to inflammation in the brain, spinal cord or nerves. It is particularly virulent in horses – although not always fatal – and no direct treatment for it has been developed. It has been present in the United States since 1999 and is carried by mosquitoes that have bitten infected birds. An infected mosquito can then spread WNV to birds, humans, horses and other animals. WNV cannot be spread from one person to another.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
“The Basis of All Wealth is Agriculture.”
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