For immediate release:
May 29, 2003
Contact:
Dr. Howard Pue, DVM, Chief
Veterinary Public Health
Karen Yates, Coordinator
Vector-Borne Disease Program
573-751-6136
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has
joined forces with a wide variety of other local, state, and federal
agencies and institutions for a coordinated, team approach to
prepare for this year's mosquito season, which almost certainly
will bring new West Nile virus cases to Missouri.
Joining DHSS on the West Nile virus team are the Missouri Departments
of Agriculture, Conservation, Natural Resources, and Economic
Development; the Kansas City and St. Louis City and County Health
Departments; Springfield-Greene County Health Department; Jackson
County Health Department; Jackson County Department of Public
Works; University of Missouri-Columbia; Southeast Missouri State
University; U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Also playing a key role
in the West Nile virus surveillance and control effort will be
all local public health agencies across the state.
"We learned very quickly last year that it would take a comprehensive,
coordinated team approach to effectively deal with West Nile virus,
because it affects so many different aspects of our lives
-- public health, agriculture, environment, economy, infrastructure,
and personal lives as well," said Dr. Howard Pue, chief of
DHSS's Office of Veterinary Public Health. "Having learned
that lesson, we are starting several steps ahead this year by
improving our coordination and communication with the other agencies
and institutions who are with us on the front lines of the West
Nile virus fight."
To strengthen the coordinated approach to dealing with West Nile
virus this year, DHSS recently led a special training event for
local public health agencies that conduct mosquito trapping as
an important part of West Nile virus surveillance and control.
The session featured training on effective techniques used in
trapping mosquitoes for surveillance. Mosquito trapping is useful
to determine what kinds of mosquitoes are in an area and for determining
the difference between nuisance mosquitoes and virus-infected
mosquitoes. This, in turn, is used in developing strategies for
controlling infected mosquito populations and evaluating control
efforts.
Another important step in bringing Missouri's West Nile virus
response team together was a recent first-ever response planning
meeting hosted by DHSS. The meeting included many of the agencies
and institutions (listed above) holding key roles in preparing
for and responding to West Nile virus in Missouri. The planning
meeting featured presentations on West Nile virus surveillance
efforts, public education, laboratory testing for the virus, conservation
management concerns for fisheries and wetlands, agricultural impact
of the virus, and environmental waste tire removal programs. The
meeting also provided time for open discussion about various aspects
of the West Nile virus's impact on Missouri and efforts to effectively
respond to the virus this year.
Pue said that, while it is much too early to tell where and to
what extent West Nile virus will affect the state, it is almost
certain the virus will return. By building and strengthening the
response team well before the height of mosquito and West Nile
virus season this summer, Missouri will be in a better position
to more effectively deal with the various aspects of the virus
with a coordinated approach.
Last year Missouri had 168 human cases of West Nile virus in 29 counties, plus St. Louis City and Kansas City. Seven deaths were linked to the virus. This placed Missouri ninth in the nation for number of human West Nile cases. Further, 662 West Nile virus-positive and clinically ill
horses were reported from 103 counties and 227 lab-confirmed birds from 82 counties. Thirteen
percent of nearly 2000 mosquito pools from 11 counties tested
positive for the virus. As additional surveillance data become
available, health authorities will attempt to develop models that
predict the spread and severity of West Nile virus across the
state.
For more information on West Nile virus, contact your local health
department or the Department of Health and Senior Services at
1-866/628-9891 or 573/751-6136. The DHSS web site also includes
a special West Nile virus information page that can be accessed
at www.dhss.state.mo.us/WestNileVirus. The site includes a map
of West Nile virus cases reported in the state in 2002.
Note to Editor:
For additional information about West Nile virus you may contact
the individuals listed below.
| Jackson County Health Department | Ellen Dorshow-Gordon
Epidemiologist | Ellen.Dorshow-Gordon@tmcmed.org | 816-404-6415 |
| Jackson County Public Works | Ron Hilliard
Chief Environmentalist | HILLRON@gw.co.jackson.mo.us | 816-881-4530 |
| Kansas City Health Department | Marty Maher
Community Environmental Health Prog. Manager | Marty_Maher@kcmo.org | 816-513-6043 |
| MO Dept of Agriculture | Dr. Bretaigne Jones
Division of Animal Health Staff Veterinarian | Bretaigne_Jones@mail.mda.state.mo.us | 573-522-8429 |
| MO Dept of Agriculture | Paul Andre
Bureau of Pesticide Control | Paul_Andre@mail.mda.state.mo.us | 573-751-9334 |
| MO Dept of Conservation | Dr. Scott Syska
Resource Science Division Coldwater Fish Pathologist | syskas@mdc.state.mo.us | 573 882-9880 |
| MO Dept of Economic Development | Debra Lee
Strategic Planner | dlee@ded.state.mo.us | 573-751-3051 |
| MO Dept of Health and Senior Services | Alyce Turner
Veterinary Public Health Health Educator | turnera1@dhss.state.mo.us | 573-751-6136 |
| MO Dept of Natural Resources | Roger RandolphSolid Waste Management ProgramProgram Director | nrrand@dnr.state.mo.us | 573-526-3900 |
| Southeast Missouri State University | Dr. Christina L. Frazier
Professor of Biology Department of Biology | cfrazier@semo.edu | 573-651-2384 |
| Springfield-Greene County Health Dept | Clay Goddard
Health Planner | clay_goddard@ci.springfield.mo.us | 417-864-1408 |
| St. Louis City Department of Health | Mark Ritter
Vector Control Supervisor | RitterM@stlouiscity.com | 314-622-4252 |
| St. Louis City Department of Health | Rich Stevson
Vector Control Program Manager | StevsonR@stlouiscity.com | 314-612-5313 |
| St. Louis County Dept of Health | Dr. Michael P. Williams, Ph.D.
Communicable Disease Control Services Manager | Mwilliams@stlouisco.com | 314-615-1637 |
| St. Louis County Dept of Health | Ron Twillman
Vector/Veterinary Services Program Manager | Rtwillman@stlouisco.com | 314-615-8351 |
| St. Peters City Health Department | Larry Schaughnessy | lschaughnessy@stpetersmo.net | |
| University of MO -- Columbia | Dr. Gayle Johnson
Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory Assistant Director | JohnsonGC@missouri.edu | 573-882-6811 |
| University of MO -- Columbia | Dr. Richard Houseman
Ag Ext-Plant Sciences Urban Entomologist | housemanr@missouri.edu | 573-882-7181 |
| US Dept of Agriculture | Ed Hartin
APHIS, Wildlife Services State Director | Edwin.Hartin@aphis.usda.gov | 573-449-3033 |