Thursday, August 26, 2004

Birds found in Tomales carried West Nile virus

    Four dead birds from Tomales sent to a state lab for testing died from West Nile virus, Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control officials said yesterday.
    The Tomales pine siskins, small brownish birds that are members of the finch family - along with two American crows in Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa, and one western scrub jay found in Sebastopol - bring to 22 the number of North Bay birds known to have been felled by the disease.
    Earlier this month, a report of some 50 dead birds over a six-week stretch in Tomales prompted officials to send the birds to the state for confirmation. Weeks ago, birds by the dozen died near Anna Jensen's home, prompting the Tomales resident to call in.
    Fourteen of the birds were collected, and preliminary local testing on four of those birds indicated that they could carry the virus, mosquito officials said.
"No, I'm not surprised because I figured that's probably what they had," Jensen said yesterday after learning the birds tested positive for the virus. "I felt there was no other reason that they were dying."
    While birds have continued to die off in the coastal community, Jensen said the numbers have dropped off since the estimated 50 to 60 birds died.

    Mosquito control and public health officials first received word that the virus was present in the North Bay in early August when an American crow found in Fairfax and two birds from Petaluma tested positive for the virus.
    So far, the adult mosquito population has tested negative. No human or horse cases have been reported, mosquito officials said.
    Trapping live bugs for testing will be expanded to include the new locations where dead birds were found, mosquito officials said.
    Statewide, a total of 277 West Nile virus infections were reported as of Tuesday. Seven people have died in Orange, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties. The virus first appeared in the United States in 1999 in New York.
    West Nile has been carried throughout much of California by birds, which carry the virus but cannot transmit it to humans. For people infected after being bitten by a mosquito, about one in five can experience flu-like symptoms, while one in 100 gets seriously ill.
    Mosquito officials urge residents to remove standing water from their property to stave off mosquito breeding.
    The elderly and people with weakened immune systems are considered most vulnerable. There is no approved vaccine or cure in the United States.

    Contact Jennifer Upshaw via e-mail at jupshaw@marinij.com