West Nile Virus

An animal in Franklin County, Pa., has tested positive for West Nile virus, according to a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection news release. The news release stated a "veterinary specimen" tested positive for the virus. An agency spokesman said a veterinary specimen almost always refers to livestock, typically horses. The latest test results bring the year's total to 19 confirmed instances of West Nile virus in Franklin County, according to the DEP website. Of 790 mosquito samples tested, 18 tested positive for the virus in the county.

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.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Although it is not clear why, horses are particularly susceptible to the West Nile virus, a Jefferson County health official said. An increasing number of horses in the country are showing up dead or showing symptoms of the disease, and in Minnesota, eight have died from the virus, said James Hecker, chairman of the Jefferson County Board of Health. The risk is not great for horses at the Charles Town Races because horses that are highly valued are usually vaccinated for the disease, Hecker said.

The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene recommends the public take the following precautions to avoid West Nile virus infection. Since mosquitos are attracted to stagnant water, clean gutters to allow water to flow freely. Remove old tires or drill holes in tires used for playground equipment. Turn over wading pools, wheelbarrows, wagons and carts when not in use. Replace water in birdbaths at least twice a week. Turn garbage can lids upside down and make sure trash receptacles don't contain water.

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.

Bird search tracks West Nile virus By KIMBERLY YAKOWSKI kimy@herald-mail.com The Washington County Health Department is asking people to be on the lookout for dead birds so that the bird carcasses can be tested for West Nile virus. The mosquito-borne disease has been documented in Frederick County, Md., and it's only a matter of time before the virus it heads west, said Roderick MacRae, county health department spokesman. "At some point we expect to have West Nile present in Washington County," said MacRae.

scottb@herald-mail.com Preliminary test results indicate Washington County and Frederick County may have their first cases of West Nile Virus in humans, Washington County Health Officer William Christoffel said Wednesday. More definitive test results may not be available until next week, Christoffel said. He said he did not know if either person was hospitalized or when the tests were conducted. The names of the doctors who requested the tests have not been made public, he said.

scottb@herald-mail.com A 67-year-old woman has become the first Washington County resident to test positive for West Nile virus, county Health Officer William Christoffel said Tuesday. The woman, whose name was not released, did not require hospitalization and is recovering, Christoffel said. Christoffel said the woman was tested for the virus in September after telling a doctor she was experiencing flu-like symptoms including weakness and aches in her leg. Preliminary test results indicated the woman had the mosquito-borne virus but final test results were not made public until Tuesday when the information was listed on the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Internet pages.

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.

Don't panic. The odds of catching West Nile Virus are very low, and the odds of suffering serious illness or death are enormously remote. That's the message from Dr. Mohammed Bilgrami, infectious disease specialist with WillowWood Adult Medicine in Robinwood Medical Center, east of Hagerstown. "The message is: Do not panic," Bilgrami said during an interview in mid-September. Yes, West Nile Virus does kill or cause serious illness in a tiny percentage of infected people.

“Every day when you pick up the paper now, there's been a fatal accident in the Tri-State area. I just wonder what's going on.” - Hagerstown “Concerning building a new baseball stadium in Hagerstown, the old Central Chemical site, which was cleaned up with federal superfund money, and the old New York Central Iron Works, are in the city, may be owned by the city, and would make an excellent location. In addition, the shopping center only has one store in it. I think this should be thought about, in lieu of tearing down the middle of downtown Hagerstown.” - Washington County “I agree with the recent caller that you can't legislate the poor into prosperity by tapping the wealthy.

A Franklin County, Pa., woman is recovering from meningitis related to West Nile virus, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said Monday in a news release. The woman was hospitalized for the infection that was attributed to West Nile virus, the news release stated. The woman is now recovering from the illness, according to the release. “Due to an unprecedented level of mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus, the Department of Health strongly urges residents to minimize their exposure to mosquitoes,” officials wrote in the news release.

Mosquito spraying is scheduled for portions of Southampton and Greene townships this evening. The spraying starting at sundown will be conducted if weather permits, according to a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection news release. Residential areas will be sprayed for adult mosquitoes. The DEP said a large number of nuisance mosquitoes have emerged as the result of recent rains. Certain mosquito species carry West Nile virus.

Mosquito spraying has been scheduled for this evening in Hamilton and Greene townships, according to a news release from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Truck-mounted spraying will be conducted Thursday if weather is poor today. Crews will spray Biomist 3+15 to try to reduce the spread of West Nile virus.

Mosquito spraying in Franklin County is scheduled to begin Tuesday in response to increased reports of mosquito populations. Franklin County’s West Nile virus coordinator, Raymond Eckhart, said mosquitoes have more spots to breed because of standing water from this month’s rains. This year’s spraying starts two weeks earlier than normal. The Penn State Cooperative Extension Office in Franklin County has received more calls than normal from residents reporting large quantities of mosquitoes, Eckhart said.

MERCERSBURG, Pa. -- Weather conditions permitting, spraying to control mosquito populations will be conducted during the evening hours Tuesday, with Wednesday scheduled as a backup in portions of Mercersburg borough, according to a news release from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Two recent collections of mosquitoes have tested positive for the West Nile virus in this area, the news release stated. The treatments will be conducted after sundown using the product BioMist, the news release stated.

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.