Document text
Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend September 23, 2005 Central Point woman had West Nile virus By PARIS ACHEN Mail Tribune A Central Point woman has been diagnosed with the West Nile virus, marking the first documented human case of the year in Jackson County and the sixth in Oregon. The County Health and Human Services Department took a sample of the woman’s blood after she reported experiencing symptoms of the disease Aug. 21, including a fever, headache and fatigue, officials said. It takes about a month for lab results to be confirmed through the Oregon Department of Human Services and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The woman, who recovered about a week after the onset of the virus, is likely one of several people in the county who have contracted the disease from mosquito bites, county health officials said. "It’s a fairly underreported disease," said Gary Stevens, the county’s environmental health manager. Advertisement Fewer than 1 percent of those infected with the virus become seriously ill, according to the CDC. So far, the disease has not taken the human toll county health officials had expected, but its presence has been more widespread than last year. Last year, one human case was found in the county when a blood donor tested positive for the virus but showed no symptoms. "We didn’t have the big outbreak we might have suspected with it being our second year," Stevens said. Statewide, there have been five other human cases of the virus, two contracted in Malheur County and one in Lane County, said officials with the Oregon Department of Human Services. Two cases in Benton and Marion counties are believed to have been contracted in California. "If you look at a map, there are a lot more counties affected than last year, but the number of cases are less than expected," said Emilio DeBess, public health veterinarian for the Oregon Department of Human Services. The virus has had more of an impact on animals, county health officials said. Three horses in Ashland, Central Point and Eagle Point recently had to be euthanized after becoming ill from the disease. In all, Jackson County Vector Control has detected the virus in nine birds and 12 mosquito pools this year. "When the weather cools, the threat decreases substantially, but the threat is not gone," Stevens said. "People should still be protecting themselves from mosquito bites. This is a preventable disease." Precautions against West Nile include ensuring screens are intact or patched, eliminating standing water and when outdoors, wearing mosquito repellent containing the chemical DEET, Picaradin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Staying indoors during morning and dusk hours can also reduce the chances of infection. Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4496 or e-mail Central Point woman had West Nile virus ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy online casino Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Natto Kinase Nattokinase Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Investments & Loans Advertisement s