West Nile Virus infects crows at CSULB

By Katie Plourd
Daily Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer

Over the past few months Cal State Long Beach authorities have been tracking the number of birds found on campus that have died from the West Nile Virus. Approximately 28 dead crows have been found on or adjacent to the CSULB campus, according to Robert Quirk, director of facility management at Cal State Long Beach.

American crows have seen the most deaths in all birds since the disease first entered the United States in 1999, according to the Wild Life Disease Information Node. The exact number of dead crows found on campus cannot be exactly quantified according to Richard Johnson, the associate director of environmental health and safety at CSULB. However, Johnson said an average of about eight or nine birds were found every day over a span of a couple weeks.

The disease, which is transmitted to the birds through mosquitoes, usually affects the animal with in four to six hours. The animals will often be found lying on their sides or staggering around acting strangely when they have been infected, Johnson said. The birds found on campus are assumed to have the virus, even though animal control has ceased testing of the animals due to the fact that Long Beach is already considered an infected area.

According to Johnson, although birds infected with West Nile were found on campus, they do not pose a serious health threat to students.

"You can't get West Nile from a bird," said Johnson. "It is not transferable between avian species and humans." He also said the only way to acquire the virus is through a mosquito bite.

The virus affects only a small percentage of the population, generally the very young and the elderly. People that are healthy and have a good immune system may even be bitten by a West Nile vector and get the virus and not know it, Johnson said. The virus has already become an endemic, a disease or virus that is regularly found among particular people or in a certain area, in other parts of the world. It is most likely to take the same path in the United States, becoming a common virus like the common cold Johnson said.

The only way to combat an infection of the disease is prevention, which involves reporting dead birds found, keeping a log and using preventive methods to not be exposed to mosquitoes, said Johnson.

According to Aiko Marsi, a resident of Parkside Commons, there have not been any dead birds around the dorms. "I try not to worry about it, I know about it but not how to prevent it," Marsi said. "So until I know that, I don' t think there's anything I can do," she said.

The Center for Disease Control advises people to be cautious, even though less than one percent of the population will be affected by the disease. The CDC says that the best way to prevent the spreading of the disease is to t apply insect repellent containing the chemical DEET and wear long sleeve shirts, pants and socks at peak mosquito hours such as sunset and sunrise. Also, protect your home by eliminating still water, which provides a breeding ground for thousands of mosquitoes.