Virus

By MARLO BARNHART / Staff Writer Eight days ago, Les and Lori Martin's suburban family existence was turned upside down by a tiny virus that attacked and paralyzed their child. On Feb. 4, the Martin's 12-year-old son, Christopher, was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, a condition in which the spinal cord becomes inflamed, causing paralysis and sometimes worse. "We did lose him briefly at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore when he was critical," said Lori Martin Thursday from her Washington County home.

The Humane Society of Washington County on Friday closed its dog adoption kennels after two dogs were diagnosed with a potentially fatal virus. One dog was euthanized after both animals tested positive for parvovirus, which is the most infectious canine disease in the United States, according to Katherine Cooker, manager of development and public relations for the Humane Society. The condition of the other dog, a puppy, was unknown Friday night, Cooker said. The Humane Society is not accepting any new adoptions, and has isolated the rest of its dogs until further notice, Cooker said.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- More than 100 people attended a seminar Tuesday night in Martinsburg to give their knowledge about H1N1 a boost. Mina Gaudette of Martinsburg said she heard about the program, held at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at West Virginia University Hospital-East's City Hospital campus, on the radio and attended because she wanted to learn more. She and her husband retired from Northern Virginia and moved to Martinsburg a few years ago.  "We need to be informed and just use common sense," Gaudette said.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Franklin County's first confirmed case of West Nile virus this year recently was found in a mosquito sample from Washington Township, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced Friday. The department has been routinely spraying for mosquitoes since June. Franklin County led the state in positive mosquito samples in 2006, with 59 samples confirmed as having the virus. One human case has been reported this year and was confirmed in a Clearfield County resident.

MERCERSBURG, Pa. - The Borough of Mercersburg and surrounding townships are scheduled to be sprayed for mosquitoes today. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said it plans to use trucks to mist Pyrocide 7396, which stays aloft and kills flying mosquitoes. The spraying is dependent on weather conditions. Franklin County, Pa., continues to lead the state with the number of positive West Nile virus samples. All but six of Franklin County's 58 positive samples were found in mosquito testing.

waynesboro@herald-mail.com WAYNESBORO, Pa. - A tin can with water in it left in the back yard can breed thousands of mosquitoes in four days, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Department of Health said Tuesday. Jessica Siders, in the agency's Harrisburg, Pa., office, said two cases of West Nile virus - one in Franklin County, the other in Fulton County - were reported in July. As of Monday, two cases had been found in mosquito pools sampled in nearby Cumberland County, Siders said.

Mosquito spraying is scheduled today for portions of Antrim Township, Pa., the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said in a news release. The spraying is designed to control adult populations of mosquitoes, which can carry West Nile virus. Franklin County, Pa., had one human case of the virus confirmed this year. Friday has been identified as a backup for spraying if the weather is poor today. Biomist 3 + 15 will be sprayed from trucks.

scottb@herald-mail.com The mosquito-spread West Nile virus problem is over for the year because mosquitoes went dormant with the first hard freeze, but the problem will resurface in the spring, Washington County Health Officer William Christoffel said Wednesday. The freeze occurred within the last week, he said. The Health Department is already planning ways to fight the spread of the virus in the spring. The work will include putting larvicide in storm water management ponds and determining areas considered most vulnerable to outbreaks, he said.

The Midwest mumps outbreak should be cause for curiosity but not too much concern, Tri-State-area health officials say. Most Americans who have received the mumps vaccine or experienced the virus have a high level of immunity to mumps, explains Rod MacRae, spokesman for the Washington County Health Department. The vaccine used to prevent mumps works against the Midwest mumps strain, according to information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Also, mumps is fatal only in rare occasions.

martinsburg@herald-mail.com MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A dead sparrow found at Bedington Crossroads in northern Berkeley County last month has tested positive for West Nile virus, and health officials are now focusing on trying to eliminate mosquitoes rather than sending birds away for testing. Health officials learned the results Tuesday, said Twila Carr, chief sanitarian at the Berkeley County Health Department. Carr said she does not know of any person in Berkeley County being tested for the virus, which is carried by mosquitoes.

Franklin County, Pa., experienced a high rate of West Nile virus this year, mirroring state and national trends. “We had unprecedented numbers,” said Raymond Eckhart, county coordinator. With 69 total positives in mosquito samples, a dead bird and one human case, Franklin County is 18th highest among Pennsylvania's 67 counties for 2012. Eckhart said scientists are still speculating why instances of West Nile virus were high this year. He said the mild winter in 2011-12 might have affected the habits of birds.

Mosquito spraying is scheduled today for portions of Antrim Township, Pa., the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said in a news release. The spraying is designed to control adult populations of mosquitoes, which can carry West Nile virus. Franklin County, Pa., had one human case of the virus confirmed this year. Friday has been identified as a backup for spraying if the weather is poor today. Biomist 3 + 15 will be sprayed from trucks.

"Zip your coat. Put that hat on your head. You're gonna catch a cold. " Rare is the mother who hasn't uttered these words during the rush out the door. Shirlee Imes, 55, of Hagerstown, certainly has. She is the mother of 11. If she doesn't stand guard at the door, Imes said, one of her children inevitably tries to sneak out in just a sweatshirt. Excuses abound. "It's not cool to wear a heavy coat. " "They don't give us enough locker space to put our coat and backpack in. " "I'll miss my bus if I have to go back to my locker to get my coat.

The Pennsylvania West Nile Control Program has reported four new cases of human West Nile virus, including one in Franklin County. The program reported on its website Friday that a 66-year-old male in Franklin County has tested positive for the virus. The other three confirmed cases were a 45-year-old male, a 58-year-old female and a 64-year-old female, all in Philadelphia. The program also reported 10 new positive tests in mosquitos. They were in Allegheny, Berks, Chester, Dauphin, Lebanon and York counties.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced Monday that another sample of mosquitoes from Franklin County has tested positive for West Nile virus. The county has had eight samples test positive in the past few weeks. Through mid-August, DEP officials said there weren't any positive samples in Franklin County. The state's website shows 413 samples from Franklin County have been tested so far in 2010.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- In 2005 and 2006, Franklin County held the dubious honor of having more mosquito samples test positive for West Nile virus than any other county in Pennsylvania. It was a state leader for positive samples in other years. That changed in 2010. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection had no reports of West Nile virus-positive mosquitos in Franklin County. Its data shows 265 samples were tested. The county posted 68 positive samples in 2005, 65 in 2006, seven in 2007 and 34 in 2008.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- More than 100 people attended a seminar Tuesday night in Martinsburg to give their knowledge about H1N1 a boost. Mina Gaudette of Martinsburg said she heard about the program, held at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at West Virginia University Hospital-East's City Hospital campus, on the radio and attended because she wanted to learn more. She and her husband retired from Northern Virginia and moved to Martinsburg a few years ago.  "We need to be informed and just use common sense," Gaudette said.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- At least four samples of mosquitoes in Franklin County, Pa., recently tested positive for West Nile virus. Two positive samples were found in Hamilton Township, one in Greene Township and one in Washington Township, according to a news release from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Five samples in Franklin County have tested positive this year, the DEP's Web site shows. Seventy-three mosquito samples, one human and two birds tested positive statewide so far, the site reports.

Name of business: Kilgore Computer Solutions Owner: Craig Kilgore Address: 18016 Maugans Ave., Hagerstown, in Maugansville Plaza across from the old Maugansville Elementary School Opening date: Aug. 18 Products and services: Virus removal, computer repair, networking, data recovery and computer upgrades. "We also offer in-home or on-site business troubleshooting and/or consulting. " Market area: Washington County and Franklin County, Pa. How did you get into your business, or what motivated you to start it?