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Sam Penrod Reporting The annual fight against West Nile Virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, has officially begun. It's a disease that does not affect 80-percent of those infected, but it is serious and potentially fatal for those who are affected by West Nile.
It was along Utah Lake last summer that West Nile was detected. In Utah County alone, 16 people tested positive. Today, an early warning system for West Nile was put into place.
The chickens may look ordinary, but now they will be the watch birds if you will for West Nile Virus all over Utah.
Dr. Joseph Miner, Dir., Utah County Health Dept.: "Mosquitoes spread the infection from birds to humans and horses. Humans and horses can become very ill and potentially die from these infections."
Counties from all over Utah picked up the chickens today, including Mosquito Abatement in Washington County.
Mike Oldham, Southwest Mosquito Abatement: "Last year we had 100 percent of our chickens test positive for West Nile Virus in both St. George and Hurricane."
The chickens will be kept in groups of five and will be tested once a week all summer long, for West N1ile Virus.
Mike Oldham, Southwest Mosquito Abatement: "We'll draw blood from them once a week and have that blood tested for West Nile Virus, West Equine Encephalitis and St. Louis Encephalitis."
Last year in Utah County, several people became seriously ill from West Nile Virus.
Dr. Joseph Miner, Dir., Utah County Health Dept.: "West Nile Virus in Utah County hit 16 individuals very severely. In fact, the 16 cases we had almost all had neuroinvasive disease, which means infection of the brain and nervous system."
Many of those patients are still suffering from symptoms six months later. Health officials say using chickens last year proved accurate for knowing when mosquitoes with West Nile are biting.
Dr. Joseph Miner, Dir., Utah County Health Dept.: "Last year the blood tests in our sentinel chickens correlated extremely closely to where and when we had our human infections, so it's a very useful tool to identify where the disease is circulating."
And when those chickens test positive, health officials will spread the word. In the meantime, they say it is still a good idea to cover up and use repellant, especially after sunset.
