West Nile Virus Testing to Begin

With the arrival of summer, many of us will find ourselves slapping mosquitoes during camping trips and backyard barbeques. And while the vast majority of mosquitoes are simply a minor annoyance, some may be carrying West Nile Virus. This virus arrived in the United States in 1999 and has rapidly spread across the country. It is a bird virus that can be transmitted to humans and horses by the bite of an infected mosquito. Nearly 80% of humans infected with the West Nile Virus will show no symptoms while others may experience fever, headache, and body aches. Less than 1% of humans who become infected will suffer serious complications such as paralysis or inflammation of the brain. Overall, our equine friends are more likely to become sick because of the virus and they can be protected through vaccination. Birds can be quite sensitive to the virus, especially birds of prey, sage grouse, and members of the corvid family which includes ravens, crows, magpies, jays, and Clark's Nutcracker. The presence of an unusual number of these dead birds can signal the presence of West Nile Virus in an area. In Idaho, West Nile Virus has been found in 11 counties and is expected to spread into most of the state by the fall of 2005. To help monitor the presence of the virus in the Salmon region, Fish and Game will be testing dead birds this summer. The public can help with this monitoring effort by reporting dead birds of prey, grouse, and corvids to Fish and Game staff. Ideally, these birds should be freshly dead, having died within 24 - 48 hours of being reported. In addition, citizens can bring dead birds to the Fish and Game office. Anyone submitting a dead bird of prey, grouse, or corvid should use rubber or latex gloves when handling the bird and double bag it in plastic. Timely reporting and testing of dead birds will help to determine if a local outbreak of West Nile Virus has occurred in our region, and Fish and Game staff appreciate citizens taking time to report or submit dead birds.