West Nile found in region

Ken Johnston
Editor

West Nile virus has been present in the Kenora-Rainy River region since at least August 8, 2002.
Environmental Health Officer with the Northwestern Health Unit, Al Mathers, said that was when the first bird that has tested positive for the virus was reported to authorities in the Kenora area.
Since last year they have tested many birds, all coming back negative. In the mean time the virus was discovered in Winnipeg, Roseau and Little Fork, Minnesota and Thunder Bay. “It was just a matter of time before we had a positive test,” said Mathers last Friday.
Dr. Paul Innes, the Acting Provincial Veterinarian who oversees all vets in Ontario, said that the next question is, “Is it in the mosquito population?”
That says Innes would mean people would be at risk of contracting the virus. “That way we know if it is cycling in the area and it is not just birds flying into the area.”
Innes said there are four main species of mosquitoes that are referred to as “Bird biters.” When their numbers grow to the point where there are not enough birds for them to feed on they will bite other animals. That is where other species that bite humans often pick up the virus.
Horses in particular have been found to be carrying the virus and in some cases suffered a “general neurologic disease” said Innes. However there is a vaccine being used to protect horses. But it is not 100% proven and for that reason is being strictly controlled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Some 10,000 units of it have been made available to livestock vets.
Innes said there have been no cases of it reported in horses in Ontario, but cautions that does not mean there has not been any. “To get a confirmed report that an animal has it means expensive blood-work and since there is no treatment for the animal that has it, many choose not to do the tests.” He further noted that horses, like humans are “dead-end hosts” and can not pass it on to others.
In humans the risk of getting the most severe effects of the virus is very low. In most cases the areas where infected mosquitoes are found have very few mosquitoes carrying the virus. Health officials say there is usually less than one percent of mosquitoes infected in an area that has tested positive and the chances of one becoming severely ill are less than one percent. That is a one percent of one percent chance that one will get severely ill. In fact the more common effects if any at all with humans are for the victims to get mild headaches or flu-like symptoms.
Most infected individuals often do not even know they have been infected. In the area of the Nile where the virus is thought to have originated it is estimated that some 60% of the population has been infected with no ill effects.
People are encouraged to do what they can to prevent the mosquito populations from growing by eliminating standing water, staying indoors when the bugs are most active and wearing long sleeves, pants and bug spray when venturing out of doors.