For Release: IMMEDIATE
Date: July 25, 2006

Contact:
Debbie Crane (919) 733-9190
Laura Leonard (919) 715-3204

Mosquito-Borne Viruses Turn Up in Downeast Chicken Flocks

Experts Warn the Public to Beware

RALEIGH – Public health experts say that chicken flocks in eastern North Carolina are showing infection with two mosquito-borne viruses, and a horse has also been infected. That means the viruses are present and could infect people.

“These chicken flocks are like the proverbial canaries in coal mines,” said Dr. Barry Engber, an entomologist with the N.C. Division of Environmental Health’s pest management section. “The activity has picked up in July and that means mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis are present and could infect people.”

The Division of Environmental Health maintains chicken flocks in eastern North Carolina. The chickens are bled regularly and their blood is tested for mosquito-borne viruses. Chickens infected with West Nile Virus (WNV) have shown up in Craven and Beaufort counties. Another chicken in Carteret County was infected with Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), and a Columbus County horse was also diagnosed with that disease.

“This is the prime season for mosquitoes,” said Dr. Engber. “And, these tests show that the bites can be more than just mere nuisances. They can cause serious disease. Everyone needs to protect themselves and their families from mosquito bites. The smartest thing is to apply mosquito repellant and make your neighborhood less inviting for mosquitoes.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend several repellants against mosquitoes – DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. According to the CDC, oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years old. Consumers should look for products that contain the CDC-recommended ingredients and follow all label instructions.

You can make your neighborhood less inviting by:

• Removing any containers that can hold water;
• Keeping gutters clean and in good repair;
• Repairing leaky outdoor faucets and change the water in bird baths and pet bowls at least twice a week; and
• Checking window and door screens.

The same goes for mosquito-proofing places like church playgrounds and ball fields. Work with other parents to ensure that those places aren’t providing mosquitoes with a happy habitat.

You can also fight the bite by reducing time spent outdoors, particularly in early morning and early evening hours, and wearing light-colored long pants and long-sleeved shirts.

So far this year, only one North Carolinian has been infected with a mosquito-borne illness ¬– a young Buncombe County girl who was infected with La Crosse (LAC) encephalitis. LAC is the state’s most common mosquito-borne illness, but it is confined to the western part of the state. West Nile Virus has been found across the state and is the second most common mosquito-borne illness in North Carolina. EEE, while rare, is the most deadly of the mosquito borne viruses; it has usually been found in eastern North Carolina.

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