Subject: West Nile Virus not in WA --- yet
Date: Mar 12 20:48:07 2001
From: Mark Oberle - oberle at mindspring.com


This is in followup to an earlier query on tweeters. John Grendon, a
veterinarian at the WA state Dept. of Health and is coordinating
surveillance for West Nile in Wash. State. So far none have
>> turned up. His limited funding from CDC allows for only limited testing.
-------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2001 15:50:26 -0800
From: "Grendon, John" <John.Grendon at DOH.WA.GOV>
To: "'Mark Oberle'" <moberle at u.washington.edu>


"Grendon, John" wrote:

> Hi Mark, sorry to not have kept you better informed. We have results on 11
> birds submitted for WNV testing from last year. We did not receive the funds
> until September. The birds were 7 American crows, one American robin, one
> Steller's jay, one thrush, and one western gull. All were negative for WNV
> by RT-PCR at the National Wildlife Center Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin.
> Usually we sent the entire carcass, but blood samples were sent for a couple
> of crows. We got hooked up with PAWS in Lynnwood who see many sick and
> injured birds from the westside of the state. We submitted birds from seven
> counties, most on the westside. One horse was tested and was negative.
> Several humans were also tested at CDC and I assume they were negative.
>
> We are in the middle of doing training with four workshops around the state
> - two this week and two next week in Kelso and Mt. Vernon. We spend a
> half-day on mosquito and mosquitoborne disease surveillance issues.
>
> We are currently preparing our application to request funds for 2001-2002.
> It is due at the end of March. We would like to involve a larger group of
> individuals or organizations who may be aware of dead bird sightings and get
> more birds tested. Last year you mentioned the Audubon Society, the State
> Ornithological Society, and others. I emailed the person at the UW involved
> with the crow research project but never heard back from him. Could you give
> me a list of contacts you feel would be important to include in this year's
> efforts. We likely will emphasize the corvids once again but the virus has
> been found in over 60 wild bird species the last I heard. Thanks, John
>
> John H. Grendon DVM MPH
> Zoonotic Disease Program
> Washington Department of Health
> PO Box 47825, Olympia WA 98504-7825
> phone (360) 236-3362
> fax (360) 236-2261
> email john.grendon at doh.wa.gov

Mark Oberle
2006 23 Ave. East
Seattle, WA 98112-2936
Tel: 206-324-3844
oberle at mindspring.com
http://www.mindspring.com/~oberle/PRbirds.htm