West Nile Virus Confirmed in Utah

Two chickens, two horses test positive for illness

August 16, 2003

Microbiologist Giulia Vernati works under a bio safety cabinet while looking at samples of a West Nile virus test Wednesday morning in Cheyenne, Wyo. Vernati is on the front lines of the battle against West Nile virus.

The West Nile virus has arrived in Utah, health officials confirmed on Friday.

Blood taken from two chickens near Price contained the virus. In addition, Friday morning tests found that two horses from Uintah and Emery counties also are infected. The virus was also preliminarily found in mosquitoes in two pools of water from Utah and Uintah counties, officials said, but no human cases have been found.

Friday's announcement marks that, for the first time, the West Nile Virus has invaded organisms in Utah, said Gary L. Edwards, Health Officer at the Southwest Utah Public Health Department.

"People need to be very diligent about getting rid of standing water," he said. "Just be extremely cautious."

Since New York City reported its first case spread by mosquitoes in 1999, the West Nile Virus had spread as far west as Wyoming and Colorado.

Health officials had been expecting its arrival in Utah, first among birds, then mosquitoes and horses before spreading to humans, Edwards said.

"We knew it was just a matter of time," he said. "It's in those populations now. We've got to be very careful."

The West Nile virus is spread from bird to bird by mosquito bites. The peak season for the virus has typically been in August and September, said Jana Kettering, a spokeswoman for the Utah Department of Health.

The potentially deadly virus can cause high fever, fatigue, headache and seizures, especially among the people over 50 years of age or with weak immune systems, health officials said. Last year, the virus affected more than 4,100 people and killed nearly 300.

But officials said the risk of being infected from a single mosquito bite is very low. Even in areas where the virus is found, most mosquitoes are not carriers, Utah Health Department officials said. Only about one in 150 people who are infected will become seriously ill.

Friday's announcement follows the preliminary test results of sentinel chicken blood, taken late last week, that showed the presence of virus.

Further testing at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, Friday confirmed that the chickens were infected. Chickens are used to detect when West Nile is present as a warning for humans, horses and other animals.

Testing of sentinel chickens, dead birds and mosquitoes will continue statewide. However, tracking and monitoring for the virus now may be shifted to look for the virus in other areas of the state.

As of Friday, 14 people, 9 horses, 262 chickens and 98 dead birds and thousands of mosquitoes have been tested for the virus in Utah. Only the two chickens and two horses have tested positive.

Mosquito abatement programs are continuing statewide and will be increased where the virus was found.

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