West Nile virus strikes again

By AMY WIMMER

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 5, 2001

A second North Florida resident has contracted West Nile encephalitis, a mosquito-borne disease first detected in Florida one month ago, state health officials confirmed Saturday.

The patient is a 64-year-old woman in Madison County, the same county as 73-year-old S.T. Carruthers, the first in Florida to have the disease diagnosed.

"This is really unique in that we have two cases in Madison County," said Carina Blackmore, a veterinarian and regional epidemiologist who is helping the state Department of Health track the disease statewide. "We're nowhere near the end of the mosquito season in Florida."

Madison is among the 28 North Florida counties under a medical alert issued by the state health department for West Nile and eastern equine encephalitis, a more common form of the disease that typically infects one or two Floridians each summer. Eastern equine encephalitis killed a 9-year-old Pensacola boy last month.

All types of encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain, produce the same symptoms: headache, fever, fatigue, dizziness, sensitivity to light and confusion.

The West Nile virus is carried by birds and spread by mosquitoes. The disease has been diagnosed in 15 horses in North Florida.

Florida officials began spraying in populated areas and mosquito breeding grounds almost two weeks ago, stepping up mosquito control to fend off the West Nile virus.

Health officials think the 64-year-old woman suffering from the disease likely contracted it in mid July, before the spraying began.

Dr. Steven Wiersma of the health department said the woman is hospitalized. Her condition was not available. The other Florida victim, Carruthers, was listed in fair condition Friday at Tallahassee Memorial Regional Medical Center, where he has been treated since last month.

The virus, native to Africa and the Middle East, was first detected in the United States two years ago, when it killed nine people in the New York City area.

Some lessons learned in New York are paying off for Florida health officials, who began preparing for the West Nile virus' arrival when it was first discovered on American soil.

"By ecology alone, we knew it was going to come here," said Frank Penela, health department spokesman.

The biggest lesson Florida learned from health officials in the Northeast is to trace the spread of the virus through its appearance in dead birds. The health department has received untold numbers of dead birds to evaluate from the counties under the medical alert, but now hopes residents throughout the rest of Florida will also help.

Blackmore estimated that about 50 birds have been submitted in each of Tampa Bay's counties.

"We have not detected any virus activity farther south than the counties where we have the medical alert now," said Blackmore. Tampa Bay area and North Suncoast residents willing to turn in birds should contact their local health departments, she said.

Meanwhile, the health department urges Floridians to:

Avoid outdoor activities after dusk when mosquitoes are more active;

Wear shoes, socks, long pants and long sleeves outdoors;

Use mosquito repellent containing DEET;

Eliminate stagnant water in which mosquitoes might breed.

"We're getting lots of rain, so there's a likelihood mosquito populations are going to go up," Penela said. "There's a strong likelihood of that."

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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