- Hello, Jeff - I doubt that West Nile was found iin Mexico
for the first time in 2003. I remember that WNV infected birds had been
found in the Yucatan back in 2001. I suspect strongly that Mexico and
other Latin American countries had WNV as early as 2000. It has had enough
time to become ingrained in the environment. I suspect that the massive
spike in WNV cases across the US was actually caused by migratory birds
returning from Latin America. If one looks at the map they see the jump
in cases from 2001 to 2002. It is my opinion that 2001 was a time when
WNV became ingrained in Latin America and in Spring through Fall 2002 returning
migratory birds caused WNV to push westward. No one has ever satisfactorily
explained the due westerly push of the virus and the great jump in case
numbers in 2002. Looking at the 2001 map and comparing it to the 2002
map, it is obvious that there was a massive spike in WNV cases.
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- Many countries in Latin America simply do not have the
funds to monitor for WNV and did not monitor until this year. My guess
is that back in 2000, birds would have been found throughout Latin America
to have WNV.
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- Severe West Nile seasons in Latin America could mean,
equally nasty and severe seasons in North America as migratory birds return
to the US. This would also occur in reverse.
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- Unfortunately, back in 1999, in Queens, New York around
70 miles from Plum Island, the West Nile LIKE Virus "genie" escaped
from its bottle.
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- Patricia Doyle
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- Mexico: West Nile Virus Emergency Declared
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- 7-14-3
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- Mexico, on Mon 14 Jul 2003, declared a state of emergency
against the mosquitoborne West Nile virus, declaring it a severe risk to
its horse population and a growing threat to people. West Nile virus was
discovered in Mexico on 16 May 2003 in a dead crow in Tabasco state, prompting
the government to launch a campaign to vaccinate the state's equine population.
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- But Mexico's animal health authority said in the government's
official gazette on Mon 14 Jul 2003 that the disease has since spread to
horses in the states of Chihuahua, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Veracruz, Tabasco,
Quintana Roo, and Yucatan. The United States has been fighting the virus
for 5 years. The virus infected more than 4000 people in 44 US states and
killed 284 people last year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. No human deaths from West Nile have been reported in Mexico,
which shares a 2000 mile border with the US.
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- On Monday, the government warned that Mexico provides
an ideal breeding ground for the disease because it is home to a large
number of wild birds. Mosquitoes that bite infected birds and then bite
people transmit West Nile virus, which can cause fatal inflammation of
the brain in humans. "The natural cycle of the disease occurs between
wild birds and mosquitoes (that feed on birds). As the number of birds
rises, however, other types of mosquitoes can become infected and can be
responsible for eventual transmission to humans or horses," the official
gazette said.
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- Among actions to combat West Nile virus infection, Mexican
sanitary authorities have asked horse owners to vaccinate their animals
and to report any suspected cases of West Nile virus infection immediately.
The US Agriculture Department has reported that about one third of the
15 000 horses infected with the virus in 2002 died.
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- Patricia A. Doyle, PhD Please visit my "Emerging
Diseases" message board at: http://www.clickitnews.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=emergingdiseases
Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa Go with God and in Good Health
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