Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - Health Care Providers - Program - Public Health - West Nile virus Bulletin - Volume 2 / Issue 2

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West Nile virus Bulletin : 2001 Archive
Disease Control Service Public Health Branch	Volume 2 / Issue 2 – June 22, 2001

IN THIS ISSUE

Summary of Ontario Surveillance Activities
West Nile virus Surveillance in Ontario
Human Encephalitis Surveillance
Mosquito Surveillance

Dead Bird Surveillance
Other News
U.S. National Maps
Maps

Summary of Ontario Surveillance Activities
Human Surveillance	No confirmed cases in the year 2001.
Mosquito Surveillance	Mosquito surveillance will be implemented in areas from which a dead bird has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNv).
Dead Bird Surveillance	A total of 861 specimens sighted and/or collected in Ontario, however, no positive results have been reported as of June 22, 2001.
Summary of surveillance activities in other jurisdictions to date
Canada
As of June 22, 2001, there have been 1143 dead birds reported to the WNv Dead Bird Surveillance program for all Canadian provinces. None of the dead birds submitted for WNv testing have tested positive for the virus.
U.S.
Human Cases :
As of June 22, 2001, there have been no reported human cases of WNv in the U.S. in the year 2001.
Birds and Mosquitoes :
As of June 22, 2001, State Department of Health Web sites have reported that there have been 22 dead birds that tested positive for WNv in the U.S. since the start of the year 2001 surveillance program.

WNv Surveillance in Ontario

The purpose of the WNv Bulletins is to provide a summary of the results of the various surveillance activities in Ontario for the current year. Additionally, this issue will offer an update on findings elsewhere in Canada and in the U.S.

WNv Activities in Ontario for the Year 2001

Human Encephalitis Surveillance

Similar to the activities implemented in 2000, Health Canada has asked that key health care providers, including family and emergency room physicians, infectious disease specialists and neurologists, monitor their patients for symptoms of WNv in 2001. These health care professionals are being asked to promptly report any probable and confirmed cases of viral encephalitis to local/provincial public health authorities.

REMINDER

Physicians (Hospital, clinic, private practice) :
- Send blood samples from suspect WNv patients to the Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL) in Etobicoke for serological testing to :
  
  Central Public Health Lab
  81 Resources Road
  Toronto, ON
  M9P 3T1
- Report suspect WNv cases immediately to the local Medical Officer of Health and fax "Patient Report Form"
Health Units :
- Report suspect WNv cases immediately by telephone to Dr. Margaret Fearon.
  
  Dr. Margaret Fearon
  416-235-5725 (pager : 416-715-4209)
  (After hours duty officer : 416-605-6113)
- Report suspect WNv cases immediately by telephone to Dr. Chuck Le Ber or Dr. Dean Middleton at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC), Public Health Branch.
  
  Dr. Chuck Le Ber
  416-327-7421
  
  Dr. Dean Middleton
  416-327-7422
- Report suspect WNv cases in RDIS under the disease "viral meningitis/encephalitis" as outlined in the April 27, 2001 letter to all MOH's and Communicable Disease Coordinators from Dr. Colin D'Cunha regarding Enhanced Passive Human Surveillance for West Nile Encephalitis.

Mosquito Surveillance

Mosquito surveillance will be implemented in areas from which a dead bird has tested positive for WNv.

Dead Bird Surveillance

This bulletin summarizes information up to, and including, the 25^th week of the Dead Bird Surveillance season (Week 25 = June 18-22, 2001). There have been a total of 869 reported dead bird sightings and/or submissions. Of these 869 birds, 480 were submitted to the lab in Guelph for WNv testing, while 283 of those submitted to Guelph were sent to the lab in Winnipeg. Weekly maps stating the number of dead bird submissions to the lab will be provided weekly to health units.

Figure 1. Number of Dead Bird Reported to WNv Surveillance Program as of June 22, 2001 for Ontario. (N=834**)
** Omitted from graph: 33 reported dead birds = missing, 2 reported dead bird = prior to season*

Note :

Week 16 = April 16-20, 2001
Week 25 = June 18-22, 2001

Figure 2. Types of Ontario Dead Birds Reported in 2001 Season as of June 22, 2001 (N=869)

Type of Bird	Frequency	Per cent
American Crow	399	45.9
Blue Jay	204	23.5
Common Raven	4	0.5
Other Birds	262	30.1
Total	869	100.0

Figure 3. Number of Dead Bird Reports in 2001 by Ontario Health Units as of June 22, 2001 (n=869)

Note : "Pickups" are health unit submissions to the lab in Guelph, whereas "Submissions" refer to dead birds sent to the lab in Winnipeg for Federal WNv Testing.

Data Source : Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre & Health Canada (22/06/01)

Other News

Worldwide Geographic Distribution

WNv has been described worldwide, and is no longer limited to African and Eurasia. Some historical outbreaks of WNv include the following :

Algeria 1994	Russia 1999
Romania 1996-97	U.S. 1999-2000
Czech Republic 1997	France 2000
Democratic Republic of the Congo 1998

North American Geographic Distribution

As the season progresses, the attention given to West Nile Virus in North America has increased dramatically. Newspapers and newscasts have featured prevention activities, warning North Americans to avoid mosquitoes and report dead birds to local public health authorities.

U.S. :

Human cases : As of June 22, 2001, there have been no reported human cases of WNv in the U.S. in 2001.

Birds :

Table 1. Reported number of dead birds in 2001 that tested positive for WNv in the U.S. as of June 22, 2001.

State	# Dead Birds
Connecticut	1
Maryland	3
Massachusetts	0
New Hampshire	0
New Jersey	14
New York	2
Ohio	0
Pennsylvania	0
Rhode Island	2
TOTAL	22

U.S. National Maps

Maps of the United States WNv Surveillance Programs can be accessed through the United States Geological Survey : Center for Integration of Natural Disaster Information (CINDI) Web site.

Maps

Dead Birds Submitted for WNv Diagnosis by Health Unit in Ontario as of June 25, 2001.
[PDF version]
Birds Submitted for WNv Diagnosis by Health Region in Canada as of June 29, 2001.
[PDF version]

Acknowledgements

The contribution of the following agencies and individuals in the publication of this year's issues of the WNv Bulletin is greatly appreciated :

Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) : Public Health Branch : Dr. Colin D'Cunha, Dr. Charles Le Ber and Dr. Dean Middleton.

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre : Dr. Ian Barker and Ron Templeman.

Health Canada : Dr. Peter Buck and Rob Meyers.



Comments, questions and suggestions about surveillance results in this bulletin should be directed to : Danielle Stein, Acting WNv Surveillance Coordinator, Disease Control Service, Tel: 416 327-7452, E-mail : danielle.stein@moh.gov.on.ca Dr. Dean Middleton, Veterinary Consultant, Disease Control Service, Tel: 416-327-7422, E-mail : dean.middleton@moh.gov.on.ca

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