As if my fascination with zoonotic disease wasn’t already bad enough, the discovery of this dead blue jay in my front yard has further piqued my interest in the recent outbreak of West Nile virus in Nassau County. Was it another victim of West Nile virus, or just an unfortunate accident?
The recent fiasco with mortgage foreclosures could possibly be to blame for the recent increase in West Nile virus. Nassau County health department officials are still researching this possibility, but I can definitely see where there is a link. About one-fourth of all Long Island homes have a swimming pool. With all the recent foreclosures and stagnant water lying about in the unattended swimming pools, it provides a perfect breeding ground for Culex pipiens, the mosquito that transmits West Nile virus.
Some facts on West Nile virus, compliments of the CDC:
• Infected people can either by asymptomatic, or can contract West Nile fever or West Nile disease
• Symptoms of West Nile fever include: fever, headache, tiredness, body aches, and occasionally body rash and swollen lymph glands
•Symptoms of West Nile disease include: headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis
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Help! I can’t find the “nitfty video below”.
Could you repost or send the url to ssaucier@CarrollU.edu
Thank you,
SV Saucier, RN, MSN