- A Humboldt penguin at the Philadelphia Zoo that died
last Friday was killed by West Nile virus, the second zoo bird to succumb
to the disease in two weeks.
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- Zoo officials confirmed the diagnosis yesterday after
blood testing was completed. The Humboldt penguin is an endangered species,
and the one that died was among two dozen at the zoo.
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- Two other birds at the zoo - a penguin and flamingo -
are showing signs of illness, but it has not been determined whether they
also have West Nile, said Keith Hinshaw, the zoo's chief veterinarian.
One flamingo in the zoo's flock of 20 died Aug. 26 from the virus, which
is transmitted by mosquitoes.
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- "We've had some unusual behavior in a few other
birds, not wanting to eat or not being as active as they should,"
Hinshaw said. "Based on the death of one penguin, it would not
surprise
me if others have been infected. Luckily, most of them have recovered and
gone back to normal without any specific treatment."
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- Hinshaw emphasized that visitors and workers at the zoo
are in no added danger.
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- "We're in pretty close contact with the Philadelphia
Department of Health, and so far they tell us they don't feel we have an
increased risk here," he said. "If you go outdoors at your house
or anywhere else, you have pretty much the same risk as here at the
zoo."
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- West Nile is primarily an avian disease that has been
found previously in more than 80 species of birds. Those in the corvid
family, which includes crows and blue jays, seem particularly vulnerable.
The death of the penguin, a 13-year-old female that had been at the zoo
since 1990, is believed to be the first of that species.
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- Hinshaw said the deaths were not unexpected, despite
efforts during the last 18 months to control mosquito populations within
the zoo.
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- Since Aug. 13, 94 birds, mostly in the Philadelphia area,
have died from the virus, according to the state Health Department. Of
that number, 90 were crows; the others were a hawk, a blue jay, and the
two zoo birds. In New Jersey, about 700 dead birds, most of them crows,
have tested positive.
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- Two horses also have contracted the disease in
Pennsylvania.
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- People can also become infected by West Nile if they
are bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus, but so far only a small number
of humans have been sickened. In the three summers since West Nile first
surfaced in New York City, 10 people have died. That includes one fatality
this year, in Atlanta. A total of nine people have tested positive this
year, among them a 72-year-old woman in North Jersey, according to the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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- On Thursday, Maryland officials announced that they were
"98 percent sure" that a 72-year-old Baltimore man hospitalized
in a coma is suffering from the disease. His case has yet to be confirmed
by the CDC.
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- West Nile's human toll has so far been minuscule compared
to other viruses such as influenza, which is associated with 20,000 deaths
a year.
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- "From a human perspective, I'm not sure it [West
Nile] is that worrisome," said Scott Wright, branch chief of disease
investigations for the U.S. Geological Survey in Madison, Wis. "From
a wildlife perspective, we're concerned."
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- Even when the virus is in the mosquito population, less
than 1 percent of the bugs are carrying it, according to the CDC. Less
than 1 percent of humans bitten by those infected mosquitoes then become
seriously ill. But among those who become seriously ill, 3 to 15 percent
die. The elderly are most at risk.
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- Most infected people do not get sick, and most of those
who do have only mild, flu-like symptoms. More serious symptoms include
severe fever, headaches, body aches and stiff necks.
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- Public health officials urge people to do their best
to to avoid mosquitoes - wear long sleeves and repellent - and make it
difficult for the insects to breed by draining standing water on one's
property and changing birdbath water frequently
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