Office of the Regional Executive for Biology - Central Region
 |
| About USGS / Science Topics / Maps, Products & Publications / Partnerships / Education / Newsroom / Jobs |
9-12-02
WNV has finally arrived on the west coast with this first report in California (see below). Thus far in Rocky mountain states the disease has been reported only in the eastern (prairie) sides of the states. Here in Montana we have had 32 documented equine cases with 10 mortalities. Wyoming data are similar. You can see the Colorado numbers in the report below. The first reports in horses in Saskatchewan have now been reported (6 cases thus far). As an interesting statistic on spread, Nebraska experienced its first WNV equine case in July 2002. To date, 709 positive equine cases have been documented in that state. The total equine cases reported to USDA nationwide is 3453. Generally I've found this number is generally low by a fair percentage.
As of Sept 11, CDC reports nationwide 1201 human cases of WNV, with 46 deaths (the report numbers below are behind a bit). Greatest numbers continue to be in the south Gulf states and midwest. I've included a report that follows up the purported human transmission through organ transplantation. Though not conclusive, it certainly appears organ transplantation resulted in secondary transmission to 4 people - it would be highly unlikely all 4 people were incubating WNV at the same time just prior to surgery.
Thomas J. Roffe, PhD, DVM
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
USGS-BRD
FWP Bldg, 1400 S. 19th Ave.
Bozeman, MT
T: 406-994-5789
F: 406-994-4090
Cell: 406-539-4955
Supporting Documents:
Date: Thu 12 Sep 2002
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Xinhua News Agency (via COMTEX), Thu 12 Sep 2002 [edited]
California; First West Nile Virus Case ConfirmedLOS ANGELES: Doctors with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have confirmed that a woman in Los Angeles County, California, contracted West Nile virus infection, the NBC TV network reported on Wed 11 Sep 2002. Doctors working at the CDC laboratory said they confirmed the first human case of the West Nile virus in the western United States by testing a blood sample. "This virus continues to surprise us," lab director Duane Gubler said, adding that researchers still have not found the cause of the illness of the woman, who lived near Los Angeles International Airport and worked for an air-courier company. The woman was found to have symptoms consistent with the West Nile virus infection on Fri [6 Sep 2002].
"It's possible, since it was in the area of Los Angeles International Airport, that the virus came in a mosquito that hitched a ride on a plane." Gubler said, insisting that [this] is "pure speculation." Migrating birds could have carried the [virus] north from Central America or Mexico. Under that scenario, the virus would probably have been detected in sentinel said.
In Colorado, also a state in the western United States, 19 more horses tested positive for West Nile virus on Tue 10 Sep 2002, bringing the state-wide equine total to 117. At least 31 of those horses have died, according to the state agriculture department. But no human cases have been reported.
The CDC has confirmed 45 human West Nile virus related deaths and 1086 human cases this year. This week, a Houston man visiting relatives in Los Angeles fell ill in probably the second case of the West Nile virus in California.However, health officials believe the man was likely bitten by an infected mosquito in Texas, a southern US state.
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2002 10:54:01 +0100
From: "Banks, A-Lan" <A-Lan.Banks@derwent.co.uk>
Source: USA Today 3 Sep 2002 [edited]
<http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2002-09-03-west-nile-donor_x.htm>Tests have confirmed West Nile virus in an organ donor and 3 people who received transplants from her, federal experts said on Tuesday. The donor received transfusions, raising concerns that the mosquitoborne virus may be transmitted through the blood supply. The virus may also have dwelled in the transplanted organs. Even so, health officials can't rule out the possibility that all 4 people, from Georgia and Florida, were infected by mosquitoes.
One of the 4, a Georgia man who received a kidney, has died. A Florida woman -- the fourth organ recipient -- also developed symptoms of West Nile [virus infection], but lab confirmation is not yet available. She is at home recuperating.
"If this resulted from organ transplantation, as it appears to have, the organ donor was the source," said James Hughes of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "But these patients all lived in areas where mosquito borne transmission of West Nile virus is occurring. It's important that we not jump to conclusions," said Hughes, director of CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases.
The donor died 1 Aug 2002 after a car crash. Before her death, she received multiple blood transfusions as doctors worked to save her life. CDC officials say that blood was drawn -- and in some instances pooled -- from more than 60 donors, any of whom might have been infected with West Nile. Before the cases surfaced, and the Food and Drug Administration recalled all blood taken from those donors, more than a dozen other people were given potentially tainted blood. Health officials are attempting to test all remaining samples of that blood for the virus. They are also trying to test the blood donors to see whether any of those people show evidence of infection, said Julie Gerberding, director of CDC.
Though blood is tested for viruses such as hepatitis and HIV, "the tests for West Nile that would work in a blood center do not exist," said Louis Katz, acting vice president of America's Blood Centers, which collects about half the nation's blood supply. It would take months, maybe years, to develop such a test, he said. Katz said that the blood supply is safe, and that the blood banks and the government will take whatever steps are needed to keep it that way. "Fortunately, with West Nile virus, which tends to go away in September, we're going to have the fall and winter to make decisions," he said.
All blood banks are required by the FDA to take donors' temperatures before they take their blood, and anyone with symptoms of illness is asked to come back when they've recovered, Katz said. But about 80 per cent of people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms and could give blood while the virus is circulating. "We can ask if they've been exposed to mosquitoes," which carry the virus, he said, but "everybody's been exposed to mosquitoes."
(byline: Steve Sternberg and Anita Manning)
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://biology.usgs.gov/cro/WNV9-12-02.htm
Page Contact Information:
tlwilliams@usgs.gov
Page Last Modified:
