1. Mosquito surveillance and polymerase chain reaction detection of West Nile virus, New York State.
- Author
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White DJ, Kramer LD, Backenson PB, Lukacik G, Johnson G, Oliver JA, Howard JJ, Means RG, Eidson M, Gotham I, Kulasekera V, and Campbell S
- Subjects
- Animals, Culicidae classification, DNA, Viral analysis, Humans, Insect Vectors classification, New York epidemiology, New York City epidemiology, Polymerase Chain Reaction methods, West Nile Fever virology, West Nile virus genetics, West Nile virus immunology, Culicidae virology, Disease Outbreaks, Insect Vectors virology, West Nile Fever epidemiology, West Nile virus isolation & purification
- Abstract
West Nile (WN) virus was detected in the metropolitan New York City (NYC) area during the summer and fall of 1999. Sixty-two human cases, 7 fatal, were documented. The New York State Department of Health initiated a departmental effort to implement a statewide mosquito and virus surveillance system. During the 2000 arbovirus surveillance season, we collected 317,676 mosquitoes, submitted 9,952 pools for virus testing, and detected 363 WN virus-positive pools by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Eight species of mosquitoes were found infected. Our mosquito surveillance system complemented other surveillance systems in the state to identify relative risk for human exposure to WN virus. PCR WN virus-positive mosquitoes were detected in NYC and six counties in the lower Hudson River Valley and metropolitan NYC area. Collective surveillance activities suggest that WN virus can disperse throughout the state and may impact local health jurisdictions in the state in future years.
- Published
- 2001
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