West Nile Virus Discovered in Dead Danville Bird

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — The Contra Costa Mosquito Vector and Control District is warning residents throughout the county to take precautions after animals infected with West Nile virus were recently discovered, the district announced Thursday.

Two dead birds found in Concord tested positive for West Nile virus, while individual dead birds found in Danville, Oakley and Pleasant Hill also tested positive. Additionally, two chickens were found to be infected near the unincorporated community of Knightsen, according to district officials.

"It's the time of year when mosquitoes become less picky about their blood source and they tend to bite people as well as birds," the district's Scientific Program Manager Dr. Steve Schutz said. "West Nile virus is a disease of birds whose blood these mosquitoes normally prefer. But, as many birds are beginning to migrate and their young have left the nest, mosquitoes, desperate to reproduce before the weather starts growing cooler, will bite people if they are present. They require protein from blood in order to produce their eggs," Schutz said.

In order to avoid contracting mosquito-borne diseases, residents are being asked to dump or drain any standing water, which can prevent mosquitoes from breeding. Also, residents should use repellants containing DEET, Picaridin, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus and avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, typically dawn and dusk, district officials said.

This year, a total of 17 dead birds infected with the virus have been found in Contra Costa County. Additionally, the virus was also detected in two chicken flocks, according to district officials.
Although no human cases of West Nile virus have been reported this year, since 2005 a total of 55 people in the county had previously been diagnosed with the virus, resulting in two fatalities in 2006.

By Bay City News

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