Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - Health Care Providers - Program - Public Health - West Nile virus Bulletin - Volume 2 / Issue 4

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West Nile virus Bulletin : 2001 Archive
Disease Control Service Public Health Branch	Volume 2 / Issue 4 – July 20, 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	A pilot program for mosquito surveillance will begin in August in six Ontario Heath Units.
Dead Bird Surveillance	A total of 1562 specimens sighted and/or collected in Ontario, however, no positive results have been reported as of July 20, 2001.
Summary of surveillance activities in other jurisdictions to date
Canada
As of July 20, 2001, there have been 2203 dead birds reported to the West Nile virus (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 :
On July 23, 2001, the Florida State Department of Health has identified the first "presumptive" human case of WNv in Florida.
Birds and Mosquitoes :
As of reports on July 20, 2001, State Department of Health Web sites have reported that there have been 79 dead birds that tested positive for WNv in the U.S. since the start of the year 2001 surveillance program. The state of New Jersey has reported WNv-positive mosquito pools, bringing the total positive pools in the U.S. for the year 2001 to 29 mosquito pools, while the state of Maryland has reported their first WNv-positive mosquito pool in the year 2001.
Horses and Other Animals :
On July 20, 2001, the United States Department of Agriculture reported their first positive equine specimen for WNv. This horse was submitted from the state of Florida.

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. This issue will update WNv findings elsewhere in Canada and in the U.S.

WNv Activities in Ontario for the Year 2001

Human Encephalitis Surveillance

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 Toronto 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

The Ministry of Health and Long-term Care (MOHLTC) has requested the assistance of six health units to take part in a mosquito surveillance program. The six health units are Eastern Ontario, Leeds, Hastings, Toronto Public Health, Hamilton, and Niagara. It is anticipated that the program will begin in early August of 2001.

In addition, mosquito surveillance will be implemented in areas from which a dead bird has tested positive for WNv. Currently there are no WNv-positive dead birds in Canada.

Dead Bird Surveillance

This bulletin summarizes information up to, and including, the 29^th week of the Dead Bird Surveillance season (Week 29 = July 16 to 20, 2001). There have been a total of 1562 reported dead bird sightings and/or submissions. Of these 1562 birds, 943 were picked up and sent to the lab in Guelph for WNv testing ("pickups"), of which 588 were submitted for testing at the national laboratory in Winnipeg ("submissions"). Maps stating the number of dead bird submissions to the lab will be provided weekly to health units.

Figure 1. Ontario Reported Number of WNv Surveillance Program Dead Birds (July 20, 2001)
(N=1509**)
** Omitted from graph : 50 reported dead birds = missing, 3 reported dead birds = prior to season**

Data Source : Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre & Health Canada, July 20, 2001

Note :

Week 16 = April 16-20, 2001
Week 29 = July 16-20, 2001

Figure 2. Types of Ontario Dead Birds Reported in 2001 Season as of July 20, 2001 (N=1562)

Type of Bird	Frequency	Per cent
American Crow	822	52.6
Blue Jay	399	25.5
Common Raven	13	0.8
Other Birds	328	21.0
Total	1562	100.0

Figure 3. Total Number of Dead Bird Reports in 2001 by Ontario Health Units as of July 20, 2001 (n=1562)

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, July 20, 2001

Other News

Worldwide Geographic Distribution

WNv has been described worldwide, and is no longer limited to African and Eurasia.

North American Geographic Distribution

The American media has paid much attention to state health departments and local units with respect to their choices regarding the spraying of chemical pesticides.

U.S. :

Human cases : The Florida Department of Health has identified the first presumptive human case of WNv in Florida, as of July 23, 2001. The Madison County patient developed acute encephalitis in mid-July.

Birds :

Table 1. Number of dead birds in 2001 that tested positive for WNv in the U.S., reported as of July 18, 2001.

State	# Reported Positive Dead Birds	# Date of last update of Positive Bird Results
Connecticut	3	July 18, 2001
Florida	4	July 18, 2001
Georgia	1	July 18, 2001
Maryland	25	July 18, 2003
Massachusetts	1	July 18, 2001
New Jersey	34	July 18, 2001
New York	8*	July 18, 2001
Rhode Island	2	July 18, 2001
Washington, D.C.	1	July, 18 2001
TOTAL	79

* New York State has reported seven WNv-positive dead birds, plus one live asymptomatic positive bird = 8 total

Mosquitoes :

As of July 18, 2001 the State of New Jersey announced a total of 29 WNv-positive mosquito pools for this year. Both Maryland and New York State released information on July 18, 2001 of one WNv-positive mosquito pool in each state for the year 2001.

Horses and Other Animals :

The first equine case of WNv was confirmed by the USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services' National Veterinary Services Laboratories on July 20, 2001. This finding is the first to be confirmed positive in a horse in the year 2001. The horse was submitted from the state of Florida.

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 July 16, 2001.
[PDF version]
Birds Submitted for WNv Diagnosis by Health Region in Canada as of July 23, 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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