Jan 22, 2003 ( http://www.latc.com/2003/01/22/special_sect/your_health.story05.html )
By Cynthia Marshall Schuman
Special to the Town Crier
"Thousands of people die from the flu every year, and less than 200 have died from West Nile. There are more serious illnesses to be afraid of," Laura Goddard said.
Goddard is an entomologist at UC Davis. She studies how different species of mosquito vectors transmit West Nile virus (WNV) to human hosts.
The bad news is that the Bay Area is home to at least three so-called competent vectors.
The good news is that all of the reported cases of the West Nile Virus in California -- two in Los Angeles County and another in Palo Alto -- appear to have originated outside of the state.
Still, the virus's steady movement westward, and across the country mean that it's only a matter of time before infected insects take up residence in our area.
"It's not so much if it's coming, it's when we will see it -- and we will see it," said Dr. Martin Fenstersheib, Santa Clara County health officer.
Most healthy adults will not be infected with the virus. Those infected will be are unlikely to experience debilitating illness. Still, county health officials feel that it's essential to take preventive measures.
County Supervisor Liz Kniss said, "We would be absolutely irresponsible as a county if we didn't have a plan in place. Even though you're unlikely to have dramatic effects on healthy adults, it's the old and the young who are affected," Kniss said. "The worst of it is there can be neurologic damage which I presume is permanent."
Of the preventive measures that the county is implementing, the biggest push is on education. "Public education and the simple recognition that every back yard may be a potential source of mosquito development are of critical importance.
A simple weekly check of the back yard, looking for things which can hold water and eliminating standing water can be an effective deterrent against the mosquito which can transmit West Nile disease," said Tim Mulligan, who manages the Santa Clara County Vector Control District.
So far, the county estimates that it has distributed more than 13,000 brochures about WNV.
"It's a great idea to educate the public about West Nile. It is also important to let Californians know that we already have very similar viruses maintained in California, like Western equine encephalomyelitis, St. Louis virus, and bunyviruses, that receive little to no attention," Goddard said.
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