No subject

has infected at least 149 people and killed at least
18 nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.

The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration) website says lightning averages 93
deaths and 300 injuries each year.

So,
West Nile Virus = 18 deaths in the US since 1999
lightning = about 300 deaths in the US since 1999

You are more likely to be struck by lightning than to
contract West Nile. Does that help put it in
perspective?

Sara

--- Susan <catmafia at swbell.net> wrote:
> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> The thought of everyone in duct tape armor is scary.
>  I have done some more
> reading and the bird site at
>
http://www.abcbirds.org/pesticides/west_nile_position_statement.htm
> seems
> to have some of the least inflamitory and broad
> ranged information I have
> found.
>
> Here are two sections that put it into perspective:
> Experience with old-world West Nile Virus epidemics
> demonstrates that West
> Nile Virus poses similar, if not lesser, mortality
> risk to humans than the
> closely related, North America endemic, and
> bird-reservoired St. Louis
> Encephalitis virus. Control measures for West Nile
> should mirror preventive
> measures currently taken by public health and
> mosquito abatement officials
> for St. Louis Encephalitis virus.
> and
> St. Louis Encephalitis virus (SLE) is endemic to the
> Southern United States
> SLE is reservoired in birds asymptomatically, and is
> occasionally
> transmitted to humans. Both West Nile Virus and
> Saint Louis Encephalitis
> virus can cause encephalitis in humans, but Saint
> Louis has a higher
> mortality rate. Most infections in humans of both
> viruses occur without
> symptoms, and only a very small percentage of
> infected people develop
> encephalitis. Usually, older persons, who may be
> immunocompromised develop
> the encephalitis form of the disease. Approximately
> thirty people each year
> die from St. Louis Encephalitis, annually in the
> U.S.
>
> This made me realize that it wasn't as dangerous as
> a threat we have always
> had that I hadn't ever heard of.  It will be the
> first time my generation
> has seen the state by state progress of of the
> spread of a public health
> concern.  From all reports, the biggest ones needing
> to really institute
> changes are those with horses, as it is 40% fatal in
> those exposed to
> it.  They have a vacine that has just been released,
> it is 96% affective in
> it's trials.  The other major species affected will
> be crows and members of
> it's genus, although it has been found in over 100
> species of bird at this
> time.
>
> As a public health measure, all are encouraged to do
> what they can to
> remove sources of stagnate water near their houses
> and report any dead
> birds they find.  As an SCA related topic, we will
> need to keep in mind the
> mosquito exposure at the sites we use for events,
> expecially the ones we
> hold equestrian activities at.  Hope this has
> relieved some of the
> concerns.  Finding up to date info on the virus is a
> challenge as most of
> the sites on it date from a year ago.
>
> Susan
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ansteorra mailing list
> Ansteorra at ansteorra.org
> http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/ansteorra


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Autos - Get free new car price quotes
http://autos.yahoo.com