Q. Are blue

jays and crows the only birds that carry the West Nile virus?

A. More than

110 species of birds are known to have been infected with the virus, so

it's best to take note of any dead birds you spot. Most infected birds

survive, though many will get sick or die, particularly crows and jays.

Dead birds

may mean that the virus is circulating among birds and mosquitoes in that

area. That's why it's suggested that you report such sightings to state

or local health departments.

Q. My husband

was recently prescribed Foltx tablets, which contain 2.5 mg folate, 1

mg vitamin B12, and 25 mg vitamin B6. He also takes a multivitamin that

contains 400 mg folate. Is this amount of folate harmful?

A. Folate (folic

acid) is a B vitamin. The multivitamin you mention would actually contain

400 mcg of folate, not 400 mg (a thousand times more), a big difference.

Even so, the

2.5 mg plus the 400 mcg (0.4 mg) equals 2.9 mg of folate daily, a fairly

large amount.

Foltx is a

prescription-only nutritional supplement prescribed to reduce levels of

homocysteine, an amino acid normally present in the body. Folate in combination

with B6 and B12 holds down homocysteine levels, which, if excessive, can

damage the inner artery lining and contribute to the atherosclerotic plaque

buildup associated with heart disease.

Though 1 mg

of folate daily may be sufficient for most people with high homocysteine,

doses up to 5 mg a day have been used, and your husband's dose is well

below that.

A danger is

that higher doses of folate can mask the signs of pernicious anemia while

allowing anemia-related damage to progress. Pernicious anemia is a vitamin

B12 deficiency caused by lack of intrinsic factor, a stomach substance

required for proper B12 absorption.

However, the

Foltx taken by your husband probably provides enough vitamin B12 to overcome

any lack of intrinsic factor.

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