FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 31, 2007

First cases of West Nile virus confirmed for 2007 mosquito season

COLUMBIA – The first cases of West Nile virus of the 2007 season have been confirmed this week by the state’s Bureau of Laboratories, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported today.

“Aiken County has the state’s first confirmed human West Nile virus case for 2007,” said Dr. Lena Bretous, M.D., epidemiologist for vector-borne diseases with DHEC’s Bureau of Disease Control. “An Aiken man, who experienced no symptoms, was confirmed to have the mild non-neuroinvasive form of the disease, which was first indicated by routine screening at a blood collection agency designed to reduce the risk of transmission of viruses in people receiving blood transfusions.”

“Aiken, Charleston, and Clarendon counties have the state’s first confirmed West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes and York County has the first positive bird,” said Chris Evans, a Ph.D. entomologist with DHEC’s Bureau of Laboratories.

“Three species of mosquitoes from several mosquito pools in Aiken, Charleston and Clarendon counties have tested positive for the disease. A mosquito pool is a group of mosquitoes of the same species collected from the same location on the same date. An American Crow recently submitted to DHEC’s York County Environmental Health Department also tested positive.”

DHEC Commissioner C. Earl Hunter is urging all residents of the state to continue their vigilance in finding and destroying mosquito breeding grounds around their homes.

“We know that West Nile virus is in the state, so South Carolinians should continue to take steps to protect themselves and their families against West Nile virus and other diseases that mosquitoes might carry,” Hunter said.

Hunter urges people to protect themselves from mosquito bites by:

“Most people infected with West Nile virus do not get sick, but if they do it can result in two types of illness,” said Bretous. “About 20 percent of those infected with the West Nile virus get a mild fever illness called West Nile fever, which lasts several weeks. People generally recover from West Nile fever, however sometimes recovery can take several weeks or months.

“About one out of 150 people infected with the West Nile virus develop West Nile neuroinvasive disease. WNND is a more severe illness involving infection in the brain. People over the age of 50 are more at risk to develop WNND, which can cause death,” Dr. Bretous said.

Evans says the public can help with West Nile virus surveillance by submitting dead crows or blue jays to a local DHEC County Environmental Health office. Check DHEC’s Web site for information about how to safely submit dead birds at: http://www.scdhec.gov/health/envhlth/general_sanitation/bird_testing.htm.

South Carolina’s current surveillance results on West Nile virus and links to additional information are available on DHEC’s Web site at http://www.scdhec.gov/westnile/. Questions may also be referred to DHEC’s local county public health departments during regular office hours. Contact information is available for your county in the phone book or online at: http://www.scdhec.gov/health/.

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NOTE TO EDITORS:

Now that the first case (human/avian/animal/mosquito pool) of West Nile has been confirmed in South Carolina, a monthly update will be sent to statewide news media during the remainder of the 2007 mosquito season to enhance the public's awareness about WNV and other mosquito-borne diseases.

However, updated data on WNV confirmations will be posted to the WNV Web site throughout each month. We encourage reporters and editors to check the site regularly for updates, maps and charts. For the latest, please check: http://www.scdhec.gov/westnile.

In case of human death from WNV, a statewide news release will be issued immediately.

Clair Boatwright is available to help reporters with their stories (contact information below).

For more information:
Clair Boatwright – (803) 898-4461
E-mail – boatwrc@dhec.sc.gov

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