New In This Update

• Final testing results for the 2003 season.
• In 2004, positive test results were received on two additional human cases, bringing to 34 the total number of WNV cases for the 2003 season. There was one additional death, for a total of three deaths.

Human Testing

• The 33rd case was a 75-year-old Cherry Hill (Camden County) man. The patient was admitted to the hospital on September 2, 2003 and died on September 15. The cause of death was listed as inflammatory liver disease and atrial fibrillation.
• The 34th case was a 47-year-old Sewell (Gloucester County) woman who developed symptoms on October 1, 2003 and has since fully recovered.
• In total, 185 New Jersey residents have been approved for WNV testing. There are thirty-four positive human cases, including two blood donors; one hundred forty have tested negative, and the remaining eleven are classified as probable because confirmatory follow up samples were not received for them. Blood and/or spinal fluid samples from these individuals were tested for the presence of WNV. These individuals either had symptoms or signs that met the established WNV testing criteria.
• Human testing for WNV is being conducted at the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services’ Public Health and Environmental Laboratory in Trenton and at public health labs in other states.

Crow Testing

• During the 2003 season, 1,472 crows were submitted for testing by the Department of Health and Senior Services Public Health and Environmental Laboratory. Of those tested, 509 crows found in 21 counties have been confirmed positive for the presence of WNV. Positive crows have been found in Atlantic (54), Bergen (7), Burlington (35), Camden (30), Cape May (12), Cumberland (20), Essex (7), Gloucester (37), Hudson (1), Hunterdon (44), Mercer (15), Middlesex (23), Monmouth (46), Morris (27), Ocean (66), Passaic (17), Salem (11), Somerset (11), Sussex (1), Union (6), and Warren (39) counties.

Mosquito Testing

• During the 2003 season, 8,743 mosquito pools have been tested for the presence of WNV, and 359 positive pools have been found in Atlantic (21), Bergen (53), Burlington (8), Camden (4), Cape May (6), Cumberland (5), Essex (13), Gloucester (45), Hudson (12), Hunterdon (33), Mercer (28), Middlesex (20), Monmouth (15), Morris (10), Ocean (16), Passaic (14), Salem (8), Somerset (15), Sussex (10), Union (8), and Warren (15) counties.

• Equine testing is conducted by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s animal health laboratory in Trenton and positive results are sent to the National Veterinary Services Lab (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa for confirmation. For more information, visit the Department of Agriculture web site at www.state.nj.us/agriculture.
  

Additional Information & Advisories

• Among the personal precautions residents can take now are such measures as eliminating standing water on their own property (such as clearing clogged gutters, draining flower pots, recycling old car tires, etc.), and repairing window and door screens. In the spring, summer, and fall residents can spray insect repellent on their clothing and exposed skin in accordance with labeling directions, wear long sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors, or curb outdoor activities at dawn, dusk and during the evening.
• The West Nile virus, an arboviral disease, is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. WNV is not directly transmitted from birds to humans. WNV infection generally causes no symptoms or just mild, flu-like symptoms; however, the elderly are at higher risk of more severe disease.
• In New Jersey, a total of 76 people have been diagnosed with WNV between 1999 and 2003. Lab testing confirmed WNV infection in these residents. WNV activity (identified from avian, equine and/or mosquito surveillance) has been detected in every county in New Jersey.
• New Jersey's WNV surveillance, control and prevention activities involve the coordinated efforts of a number of federal, state and local agencies. These include the New Jersey Departments of Health and Senior Services, Environmental Protection, and Agriculture, the CDC, the State Mosquito Control Commission, the Rutgers Mosquito Research and Control Unit, and local health and mosquito control agencies.