County says it can handle West Nile County says it can handle West Nile (April 23, 2004)

Virus could reach area by summer

Santa Clara County is well prepared for the possible invasion of West Nile virus, a county civil grand jury report found.

Prompted by news reports that the virus will reach Northern California by summer, the Santa Clara County civil grand jury looked into the operations of the county's Vector Control District and, briefly, into the Public Health Department's role regarding West Nile.

The inquiry left the grand jury satisfied that Vector Control is ready for the prevention of West Nile virus and the Public Health Department is prepared to educate the medical community about the detection and treatment of the virus in humans.

The grand jury offered two recommendations to improve preparedness -- elevate the profile of Vector Control so that its voice will be heard in matters that impact vector populations, and strengthen Vector Control's hand when dealing with infractions.

According to the grand jury, Vector Control currently lacks the authority to issue administrative citations for public nuisances that pose an immediate threat to health and safety. It cited Contra Costa County's Vector Control District as being a good model for achieving that authority.

In the 1930s, West Nile virus was isolated in Africa and has long been present there, as well as in Asia and the Middle East. It arrived in the Western Hemisphere when New York City officials identified it in 1999. California reported its first human case in September 2003.

The virus is passed to people and animals by mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds. often the most susceptible people such as infants, toddlers

Health officials say most people who have West Nile virus do not experience illness, but about 20 percent -- and the elderly -- will develop mild flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches and sometimes a skin rash or swollen lymph glands. These symptoms typically only last a few days.

However, a subset of the infected people will develop more severe symptoms like a high fever, convulsions, paralysis or coma. These symptoms last several weeks and some neurological effects may be permanent. Death occurred in only about 4 percent of cases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been working on a human vaccine for the virus, which could become available within the next two to three years.

-- Bay City News

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