 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||
 |
|
body |
West Nile Virus Bird Surveillance in Kansas
KDHE is not planning on collecting or testing dead birds for WNV this year. Neither will we be soliciting or on analyzing telephone calls reporting dead birds. Reports of dead birds or WNV positive bird results in an area has not been a good sentinel for WNV in humans in Kansas. Birds were collected in Kansas in previous years based on the presumption that positive bird results would precede human cases in a region and give enough lead time to take public health actions to minimize human WNV exposure (e.g., larviciding, removing sources of standing water, applying DEET when going outside at dusk and dawn). KDHEâ??s evaluation of the data indicates that bird testing and reporting did not appear to be correlated with human disease. The activities are not an effective use of limited public health resources and KDHE does not plan to continue the activity in 2006.
We do plan to reactivate the WNV information hotline during the WNV season as in previous years, but telephone reports about dead or requesting information on testing birds will not be returned. The message on the hotline will reflect the changes.
Mosquitoes and reports of affected horses have been better predictors of WNV activity in an area and positive mosquito pools have been the first indicator of WNV in Kansas. KDHE is working with KSU to increase the number and frequency of mosquito surveillance and to decrease the time from mosquito collection to testing. KDHE will continue to work with partners at KSU on WNV.
Birds that are sent to KSU for testing from individuals may be tested on a fee for service, similar to what is done for horses and other animals sent to the veterinary diagnostic laboratory. KDHE cautions that individuals collecting live or dead birds without a proper Kansas Wildlife and Parks permit or a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permit may be in violation of state or federal laws. KDHE does have state and federal permits for bird collection for 2006, in the event that bird collection and testing for WNV is needed.