Auburn, July 12---The potentially fatal West Nile virus (WNV) may soon be found in Alabama says a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

"That’s the general consensus of scientists," says Ashley Rossi. "I think it’s just a matter of time before we identify it in Alabama."

WNV can cause encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain that can be fatal in humans, horses and wildlife. The virus is spread by mosquitoes that get the disease from infected birds. Though WNV was first identified in Africa in 1937, it wasn’t found in the Western Hemisphere until several people in the Queens area of New York City became ill in 1999.

Rossi, who is coordinating the state’s WNV surveillance team, says the virus is found in many areas of the world. Officials still don’t know exactly how the virus made it to America. Since 1999, the virus has been found in the United States in dead crows as far south as North Carolina. This week, however, officials in Florida reported that a dead crow infected with the virus had been found in the Florida panhandle.

Rossi says WNV was possibly spread to Florida by migrating birds from New York or New Jersey on their regular migratory flight down the East Coast last fall.

Although encephalitis can be deadly, Rossi says those most likely to die from the virus are young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. People with a healthy immune system may develop the antibodies to fight off the virus rapidly enough to prevent the onset of symptoms. Studies have shown that perhaps several thousand people in the New York and New Jersey areas are already infected with the disease and don’t even know it.

"Scientists are saying for every one person in the New York area exhibiting clinical symptoms from the virus, there are 200 people who have it and don’t know it," says Rossi.

WNV can cause mild flu-like symptoms or headaches. In the worst cases, it causes high fevers, muscle soreness or paralysis, brain swelling, coma and ultimately, death. Though most of those who contracted the virus haven’t died, between 40 and 67 percent of those hospitalized for WNV infection still have problems associated with the virus, such as trouble waking from sleep, memory loss, muscle weakness and depression, says Rossi.

Members of the WNV surveillance team are monitoring the state’s birds and mosquitoes, searching for the virus. They are also looking for other potentially fatal diseases carried by mosquitoes, including Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), St. Louis encephalitis and LaCross encephalitis. Eastern equine encephalitis, which primarily affects horses, is much more likely to cause death than WNV, says Rossi. EEE was recently found in 21 horses in Florida.

If WNV is found in Alabama, Rossi says the Alabama Department of Public Health will release the information. Cities or counties will be responsible for handling mosquito control in their jurisdictions if possible, she says.

"People can protect themselves from the virus by protecting themselves from mosquitoes as best as they possibly can," says Rossi.

She advises the following. If possible, avoid being outdoors from dusk until dawn, when mosquitoes are usually most active. If you are outdoors, you may want to use a mosquito repellent even on your clothes, applied according to label directions. Wear shoes, socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time or when mosquitoes are most active. Also, make sure windows and doors have screens that are in good repair.

Reducing the population of mosquitoes, especially species associated with bird-to-bird transmission of WNV, can help prevent or eliminate the presence of virus in a given geographical area. It’s also a good way to reduce the future number of biting mosquitoes, which can be a nuisance as well as a health threat.

To reduce the mosquito population, eliminate potential sources of stagnant water in which mosquitoes might breed.

Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish. People with lily ponds can get mosquito fish (Gambusia), which eat larvae and live happily with goldfish.

If the water is constantly moving in an ornamental pond, there generally is not a problem with mosquitoes, unless there are aquatic plants among which larvae can hide.

Clean and chlorinate swimming pools that are not in use. Mosquitoes can breed in the water that collects on swimming pool covers. Use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your property. Mosquitoes can breed in any puddle that lasts more than four days.

Also, keep vegetation trimmed low to eliminate resting sites for mosquitoes in the daytime.

Source: Ashley, Rossi, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service