Salt Lake Valley Health Department
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Bureau of Epidemiology
Bureau of Epidemiology
610 South 200 East #218
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
Phone (801) 534-4600
Fax (801) 534-4557
West Nile Virus
West Nile Virus (WNV) is a Flavivirus and was first isolated in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937. Since that time the virus has been found in humans, birds, and other animals in Africa, Eastern Europe, West Asia and the Middle East. WNV has also been detected in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, and El Salvador.
WNV was first reported in the United States in Queens, New York City in 1999. Since that occurrence the virus has spread across 48 states, and into Canada and Mexico. The virus was isolated in Utah in 2003.
In most humans, West Nile virus infection causes a mild or moderate, short-lived flu-like illness, or causes no symptoms at all.
In some cases it can cause invasive neurological disease (meningitis or encephalitis), particularly among persons 50 years of age and older, but any person of any age can contract serious disease, so it is important to protect yourself from the virus. The virus also affects horses, and wild bird species.
West Nile Virus Activity in Salt Lake County
|
Year |
West Nile Fever |
West Nile Neurological Disease |
Fatalities |
Case Fatality Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
|
2008 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
2007 |
16 |
15 |
2 |
6% |
|
2006 |
33 |
22 |
1 |
2% |
|
2005 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
0% |
|
2004 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
|
2003 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
Local Resources
State Resources
Utah Department of Health - West Nile virus
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources – Fact Sheet
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources – Bird Identification
Mosquito Abatement
Utah Mosquito Abatement Association
Magna Mosquito Abatement District
Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District
South Salt Lake Mosquito Abatement District
National Resources
Disease Information
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – West Nile virus
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – WNV and Wild Game Meat
U.S. Geological Maps - West Nile virus activity
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health
Mosquito Information
National Pesticide Information Center
Environmental Protection Agency - Mosquitoes
American Mosquito Control Association
American Mosquito Control Association – Summer Safety
National Biological Information Infrastructure