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West Nile Virus Kills Zoo
Penguin In Philadelphia
By Stacey Burling and Ralph Vigoda
Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writers
9-9-1

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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
"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."
 
Hinshaw emphasized that visitors and workers at the zoo are in no added danger.
 
"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."
 
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.
 
Hinshaw said the deaths were not unexpected, despite efforts during the last 18 months to control mosquito populations within the zoo.
 
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.
 
Two horses also have contracted the disease in Pennsylvania.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
"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."
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
http://web.realcities.com/content/rc/health/pchealth/philly/1956197656.h tm
 
 
 
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