West Nile found in valley

Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005 | 11:02 a.m.

The West Nile virus hotline is: (702) 759-1220.

The following steps are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce individual risk of mosquito-borne illness:

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta

State health officials confirmed Monday that they found West Nile virus in two mallard ducks and several clusters of mosquitoes in the Las Vegas Valley and authorities are advising people to protect themselves from mosquito bites.

But for people visiting local parks with dogs and children after sundown, the news that West Nile virus had arrived didn't concern them.

"I'm not really worried about it," said Richard Damico, a dog trainer who had just finished a class at Pecos Legacy Park at Pecos Road and Wigwam Avenue.

He said that the park did not have standing water, a breeding ground for mosquitoes, in it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that fewer than 40 dogs and only one domestic cat had contracted the virus through 2003.

Mothers with children were equally unconcerned as they watched them play basketball, tennis and impromptu soccer matches.

"I'm not too worried about it," said Carol, who did not give her last name. She came from New Jersey 13 years ago to Las Vegas. "Mosquitoes are a huge problem back there."

There are no confirmed human cases reported in Clark County so far this year, state and county health officials said Monday.

The Nevada Agriculture Department's Animal Disease Laboratory confirmed Monday the results of tests on birds and insects sent to the lab last week by the Clark County Health District.

One man from Lyon County in Northern Nevada was confirmed with West Nile virus last week.

"During this critical time, we all need to practice mosquito prevention," said Dr. Lawrence Sands, director of community health at the Clark County Health District. "To reduce mosquito breeding, I strongly urge residents to eliminate areas of standing water around their properties and keep swimming pools in good working order."

Any standing water allows mosquitoes to breed.

The infected ducks and mosquitoes were collected last week from an area bounded by Interstate 15 on the west, East Harmon Avenue on the south, Spencer Street on the east and East Desert Inn Road on the north. Other areas had infected mosquitoes only, including some collected in Bunkerville, about 60 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

Other mosquito clusters were discovered in the northwest and southwest areas of the valley.

West Nile virus is spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes, which pick up the virus from feeding on infected birds, said Jennifer Sizemore, spokeswoman for the Clark County Health District.

"Considering we had some last year, it isn't a surprise," Sizemore said. "It's only a matter of time."

Last year was the first time West Nile virus appeared in Nevada, state epidemiologist Randall Todd said. A total of 44 people were confirmed infected with the virus in 2004 in Nevada. There were no deaths from the illness.

With the heavy winter and spring rains, health officials expected more cases of the virus this year, Todd said. The season for West Nile virus generally runs from midsummer to early fall.

Last year Nevada became one of the last states that the West Nile virus hit since it was first discovered in New York in 1999 and began its spread across the nation.

The illness is not contagious and does not spread person to person or animal to animal. The virus is spread through the bites of mosquitoes.

People over 50 are at greater risk to develop more serious forms of the West Nile virus. The man who became ill last week in Northern Nevada is under 50 years of age and does have more serious symptoms, health officials said.

Normally, people have few if any symptoms. Some develop chills, fever, headache and muscle aches, similar to flu symptoms. The most severe cases can develop swelling of the brain or spinal cord that can result in death.

About one in 150 people infected with the virus develop the more severe form, called West Nile encephalitis or meningitis. Symptoms of this type of disease include severe headache, high fever, stiff neck, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

The Health District's Environmental Health Division is working with the Nevada State Health Division and the state Agriculture Department to monitor West Nile virus activity.

In Clark County dead birds, mosquitoes and sentinel chicken flocks are being monitored. Chickens in sentinel flocks have blood drawn regularly to indicate whether they have contracted the disease.

In addition to infected mosquitoes in Northern Nevada, a crow each in Minden and Gardnerville, a scrub jay in Carson City and a pelican in Fallon have been found with the disease last week, the Nevada Agriculture Department reported Monday.

Two horses, one in Silver Springs and the second in Fallon, were also confirmed last week with the virus. A horse in Silver Springs had been confirmed two weeks ago.