Also presenting

will be Jesse Hobbs, Ph.D., medical entomologist (retired); and representatives

from DeKalb County Environmental Health to discuss the programs and practices

they have found effective.

Humans, birds

and horses become infected by the bite of mosquitoes infected with WNV.

Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. These infected

mosquitoes can then transmit West Nile virus to humans and animals while

biting to take blood.

Infection in

humans and animals caused by WNV can result in encephalitis (inflammation

of the brain), which can be a serious medical condition, said Grant. Most

infections are mild, however, and symptoms may include fever, headache

and body aches, and occasionally skin rash and swollen lymph glands.

More severe

infections are marked by headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor,

disorientation, muscle weakness, tremor, convulsions, paralysis and, rarely,

death. Since the summer of 1999, 79 human cases of West Nile encephalitis

have been reported. Persons older than 50 years appear to have the highest

risk of severe disease, Grant said.

Because the

disease is spread by the migration of infected birds and mosquitoes (that

need water to breed), scientists believe that there is a good possibility

that WNV may spread into Georgia, said Grant. Georgia is a major migration

route for birds traveling north.

Georgia boasts

more than 350 species of birds and also has a subtropical climate with

more than 700 miles of swamp land in the Okefenokee Swamp alone; a 100-mile

coastline, and a 2,344-mile shoreline that can provide excellent mosquito

breeding grounds.

Therefore,

a comprehensive surveillance and control project was begun in 2000, in

which the Georgia Division of Public Health is actively engaged. Early

detection will best enable Georgia to prevent outbreaks. To that end,

active human surveillance, surveillance through mosquito control programs,

and provisions for the collection and testing of dead birds is in full

operation.

A special congressional

appropriation provided funds for the implementation of this enhanced WNV

surveillance and control project. Currently, the project includes Georgia

and 18 other states along the eastern, southeastern, and southern coasts.

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