West Nile Virus Surveillance in New York State
Author Information
Author(s): Millicent Eidson, Jim Miller, Laura Kramer, Bryan Cherry, Yoichiro Hagiwara
Primary Institution: New York State Department of Health
Hypothesis
Is there a correlation between dead crow densities and human West Nile virus cases in New York State?
Conclusion
High densities of dead crows were associated with the number of human West Nile virus cases in Staten Island, while surrounding areas had lower densities and fewer cases.
Supporting Evidence
- Staten Island had the highest number of human cases and dead crow densities.
- Surrounding counties had moderate dead crow densities with fewer human cases.
- Upstate counties reported low dead crow densities and no human cases.
Takeaway
The more dead crows you see, the more likely it is that people might get sick from West Nile virus.
Methodology
The study compared human West Nile virus cases with dead bird surveillance data across New York State counties.
Limitations
The study is limited to data from 2000 and may not apply to other years or regions.
Participant Demographics
Human cases were primarily from Staten Island, with additional cases from other NYC boroughs.
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