Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - Health Care Providers - Program - Public Health - West Nile virus Bulletin - Volume 2 / Issue 5

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West Nile virus Bulletin : 2001 Archive
Disease Control Service Public Health Branch	Volume 2 / Issue 5 – August 7, 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

Summary of Ontario Surveillance Activities
Human Surveillance	No confirmed cases in the year 2001.
Mosquito Surveillance	A pilot program for mosquito surveillance has been initiated in six Ontario Heath Units.
Dead Bird Surveillance	A total of 1887 specimens sighted and/or collected in Ontario, however, no positive results have been reported as of Aug 1, 2001.
Summary of surveillance activities in other jurisdictions to date
Canada
As of August 1, 2001, there have been 2,726 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 :
The Florida State Department of Health has identified two human cases of WNv in Florida as of August 3, 2001.
Birds and Mosquitoes :
As of August 3, 2001, 296 dead birds and 86 WNv-positive mosquito pools that tested positive for WNv have been reported in 2001.
Horses and Other Animals :
The state of Florida has reported four WNv-positive horses as of August 3, 2001.

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 this month.

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 30th week of the Dead Bird Surveillance season (Week 30 = July 23 to 27, 2001). There have been a total of 1,887 reported dead bird sightings and/or submissions. Of these 1,887 birds, 1,126 were picked up and sent to the lab in Guelph for WNv testing ("pick-ups"), of which 693 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 (August 3, 2001)
(N=1809*)

* Omitted from graph : 75 reported dead birds = missing, 3 reported dead birds = prior to season

Data Source : Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, Health Canada, August 3, 2001

Note :

Week 16 = April 16-20, 2001
Week 30 = July 23-27, 2001

Figure 2. Types of Ontario Dead Birds Reported in 2001 Season as of August 3, 2001

Type of Bird	Frequency	Per cent
American Crow	1,043	55.3
Blue Jay	486	25.8
Common Raven	14	0.7
Other Birds	344	18.2
Total	1,887	100.0

Figure 3. Total Number of Dead Bird Reports in 2001 by Ontario Health Units as of August 3, 2001 (n=1,887)

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, August 3, 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 two human cases of West Nile virus in Florida, as of August 3, 2001.

Table 1. Number of birds, mosquito pools, horses and humans that have tested positive for WNV in the U.S., 2001.

State	Birds	Mosquito Pools	Horses	Humans
Connecticut	6	2
D.C.	1
Florida	27		4	2
Georgia	10
Massachusetts	23
Maryland	83	1
New Jersey	121	79
New York	20	2
Ohio	1
Pennsylvania	1
Rhode Island	2	2
Virginia	1
TOTAL	296	86	4	2

Source : Health Canada, August 3, 2001.

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.

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 : Dr. Dean Middleton, Veterinary Consultant, Disease Control Service, Tel: 416-327-7422, E-mail : dean.middleton@moh.gov.on.ca

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