West Nile Virus in New York State
Author Information
Author(s): Kristen A. Bernard, Joseph G. Maffei, Susan A. Jones, Elizabeth B. Kauffman, Gregory D. Ebel, Alan P. Dupuis II, Kiet A. Ngo, David C. Nicholas, Donna M. Young, Pei-Yong Shi, Varuni L. Kulasekera, Millicent Eidson, Dennis J. White, Ward B. Stone, Laura D. Kramer
Primary Institution: New York State Department of Health
Hypothesis
The susceptibility to West Nile virus disease is greatest in crows in the epicenter.
Conclusion
In the 2000 transmission season, 63 bird species were found infected with West Nile virus, with a significantly higher percentage in the epicenter compared to outside areas.
Supporting Evidence
- 63 bird species tested positive for West Nile virus.
- 67% of American Crows in the epicenter tested positive.
- 9,954 mosquito pools were tested for the virus.
- The highest minimal infection rate was found in Culex pipiens.
- Human cases of West Nile virus were reported in the epicenter.
- Sampling was conducted from May 15 to October 31, 2000.
- High percentages of WN virus-positive birds were found in the epicenter compared to non-epicenter regions.
- Sampling bias may have affected the results due to urbanization.
Takeaway
Scientists studied dead birds and mosquitoes in New York to see how many had West Nile virus, finding that crows were the most affected.
Methodology
Dead birds were collected and mosquitoes were trapped for surveillance, with samples tested for West Nile virus using RT-PCR.
Potential Biases
Sampling bias may have occurred due to differences in submission rates of urban versus rural bird species.
Limitations
The study relied on samples from dead birds submitted by the public, which may not represent a random sampling of the bird population.
Participant Demographics
The study included various bird species and mosquito pools from New York State.
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