Arboviral Surveillance

Arboviral Surveillance Overview

 The map below provides an overview of the arboviral surveillance conducted in West Virginia and depicts current-season arboviral testing results for mosquitoes, birds, horses and humans.  The majority of mosquito collected are tested for West Nile virus (WNV) and St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLE).  Avian specimens are tested for WNV, SLE and Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEE).  Equine (horse) specimens are tested for EEE and WNV.  Human clinical specimens are tested for WNV, SLE, EEE and LaCrosse encephalitis virus (LAC).



Mosquito Surveillance

Mosquito surveillance is conducted at several permanent sites in central West Virginia. The purpose is to identify infected mosquitoes as an ‘early warning’ that West Nile virus has been identified in the area. If West Nile positive mosquitoes are identified, local health departments should notify citizens and encourage them to take precautions.

  Mosquito Pools

 

 

 

 

Bird Surveillance

Bird surveillance is conducted by participating local health departments that submit swabs from dead birds found in the county. If birds are found positive for West Nile, local health departments should notify citizens and encourage them to take precautions.

 

 
Result Key:   WNV =

West Nile Virus     SLE =  St. Louis Encephalitis     EEE =  Eastern Equine Encephalitis

Equine Surveillance

Horses are tested for West Nile when they develop characteristic clinical features of the disease. If a horse tests positive for West Nile virus, the local health department should notify citizens and farmers and encourage them to take precautions. For more information on West Nile virus, see:

 

Human Positives

Local health departments investigate reports of human West Nile virus infection through an environmental assessment of the home and other places where the patient may have been exposed to mosquitoes. They teach the patient how to identify and abate mosquito breeding sites. When a human West Nile case is identified in the county, the local health department should notify citizens and encourage them to take precautions to prevent further cases.