Please print out this material and share with epidemiology staff, county health department directors, administrators, medical directors, nursing directors, environmental health directors and others with an interest in information of this type. Thank you.

The Bureau of Epidemiology is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for consultation at our main number (SunCom 205-4401 or 850/245-4401) PLEASE NOTE: Consultation after 5 p.m. & on weekends is intended for emergencies.

Steven Wiersma, MD, MPH, Acting Bureau Chief and State Epidemiologist

CONTACT: April Crowley 1-850-245-4111

Carina Blackmore, DVM, PhD 1-877-631-5445 (toll-free pager)

Steven Wiersma MD, MPH 1-877-210-5031 (toll-free pager)

"At this time, there is limited West Nile virus activity only in the northern part of Marion County. Since there is evidence that the virus is present in Marion County, we want residents and visitors to renew their efforts to take personal precautions against mosquito bites to prevent disease. We will also intensify our surveillance for human and dead bird cases in central and south Florida, and will continue to provide regular updates."

The Department of Health urges all Floridians to take precautions against mosquito bites. DOH is recommending the following:

• Avoid outdoor activities at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are likely to be looking for blood meals;
• If you must be outdoors when mosquitoes are active, cover up by wearing shoes, socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirts;
• Use mosquito repellant containing DEET according to manufacturers’ directions; and
• Eliminate stagnant water in any receptacles in which mosquitoes might breed.

The Bureau of Epidemiology continues to rely on the dead bird surveillance to monitor the presence and spread of the West Nile virus.  The county health departments have taken on a very large burden in implementing this surveillance activity, especially following the identification of West Nile virus in northern Florida this year.  The following strategies are presented for CHDs to reduce the workload generated by this important surveillance activity.

The laboratory receives many bird carcasses that are not in good condition for testing. Please limit collection and shipping of the best quality specimens possible. Due to the heat and humidity of the season, birds must be collected within 15-24 hours of death before decomposition levels are too high for successful testing. Further, it is important to maintain specimens in a cold state during storage and shipment. Shipments should be sent out only Mondays through Wednesdays to ensure arrival at the laboratory no later than Friday. Birds collected on Thursday and Friday should be frozen over the weekend for shipment on Monday.

A CHD may limit species for collection and shipping to crows and bluejays. Many WN virus-positive birds have been from other species; however, so this would not be the recommended first line approach to surveillance.

2. Improve efficiency of collection/mailout

CHDs can develop designated drop-off points for citizens to deposit dead birds (e.g. fire, police stations, and/or clinic sites). This type of system could be very efficient is properly planned. Please call the Bureau for further details, it is important that cold storage be available with adaquate record keeping to ensure bird collection data remains with the specimen at all times.

Batch collection/mailout 

CHDs can limit collection and mailout to 1-2 times per week. Again, this takes planning to make sure quality of specimen is not compromised.

3. Central support for citizen reporting

We realize that many citizen reporters do not have access to the Internet or have the time to enter all required data. The Bureau of Epidemiology is working on an agreement with a private company to take calls and enter information onto the current web site for reporting. CHDs can refer callers or transfer callers to this number, freeing up valuable staff time. This system should be operational with one week.

The Bureau of Epidemiology continues to receive requests for reimbursement of shipping costs associated with dead bird surveillance. Counties may receive reimbursement of shipping costs through journal transfer. Please submit a monthly statement to Robin Oliveri, Arbovirus Surveillance Coordinator by either fax at (850) 922-9299 or mail at the following address:

 

Department of Health

4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #A-12

Tallahassee, FL 32399-1720

 

5. Increase involvement of service organizations in efforts 

Service organizations are very interested in "hot topic" issues such as West Nile virus and may be able to play a role in collection and shipping of dead birds.

6. Prioritize counties without WN positives 

The Bureau of Epidemiology would like to continue collection and testing of dead birds from all counties in Florida. This data will provide an important tool in analyzing the spread of this virus. If, however, the resources for continuing this surveillance are no longer available, prioritization of counties that have not yet detected WN virus will be made.

As previously reported, the Bureau of Epidemiology is employing a WebBoard to better collect and communicate results from this surveillance system. This WebBoard is expected to be operational by September 20.

Robin Oliveri, Arbovirus Surveillance Coordinator

Effective Tuesday, September 4, 2001, all dead bird submissions for West Nile virus testing should be sent directly to the Department of Health branch laboratory in Tampa, FL. A revised laboratory submission form is attached here for your convenience. This change is intended to streamline the dead bird surveillance program by uniting both the processing and testing of dead birds in one location. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory has generously agreed to provide members of their staff to work on-site at the Tampa laboratory to assist during the transition and provide staff training.

Carina Blackmore, MS, Vet Med; Phd., Bureau of Epidemiology

The 90 dead birds, 61 horses and 12 chickens found with WN virus infections in Florida are from the following counties:

Alachua-1 mockingbird; 1 crow

Baker-1 horse, 1 crow

Bay-3 chickens, 1 blue jay

Clay-2 horses, 1 green heron

Columbia-1 crow

Duval – 2 sentinel chickens, 3 horses, 1 blue jay, 1 duck

Escambia- 1 mockingbird

Franklin-1 crow, 1 blue jay

Gadsden-1 horse

Hamilton-4 crows, 1 unknown bird. 1 horse

Holmes- 2 crows, 2 blue jays, 1 horse

Jefferson -- 9 crows, 2 bluejay, 1 mockingbird, 1 unknown and 23 horses

Leon – 1 red shouldered hawk, 4 crows, 1 finch, 1 mockingbird,7unknown birds, 3 bluejays, 1 dove, 6 sentinel chickens, 5 horses

Liberty: 1 crow

Madison – 5 crows, 4 blue jays, 6 horses

Marion-1 dove, 1 horse

Nassau, 1 horse, 1 crow

Okaloosa -- 1 blue jay

Pasco 1 unknown

Polk: 1 crow

Putnam: 1 chicken

Santa Rosa: 1 blue jay

St Johns- 2 horses

Suwannee-1 blue jay, 2 crows, 2 horses

Taylor – 3 crows, 1 blue jay, 1 dove 1 unknown bird, 9 horses

Wakulla-8 crows, 1 tufted tittmouse 2 unknown birds, 2 horses

Walton: 1horse

Washington – 3 crows

 

Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis virus cases, confirmed or probable, per Florida DOH case definition, have been reported from the following counties:

 

Bay: finch(es), 1 horse

Calhoun: emu(s)

Duval: 1 blue jay

Franklin: 1 pigeon

Jackson: 2 horses

Jefferson: 1 horse

Holmes: 6 horses

Leon: 1 dove, 1 "blue bird"

Madison: 1 horse

Nassau: quail, 1 horse

Okeechobee, 1 horse

Orange: 1 horse, 1 bird

Osceola: 1 deer

Putnam, 1 horse

Santa Rosa, 2 horses

Seminole, 1 horse

Walton: 2 horses

Washington: 1 horse

 

Human Surveillance

 Four confirmed human WN cases have been reported; a 73-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman from Madison County a 40-year-old man, residing in Jefferson County, and a 73-year-old woman residing in Sarasota County.

 

Three confirmed EEE human cases have also been reported. A 9-year-old Okaloosa resident, a 39-year-0ld Levy County resident and an 8-mo-old Leon County resident.