ARCHIVED  September 6, 2002

West Nile virus ‘here to stay’ in Colorado

CSU researchers work on human vaccine

On Aug. 15 it officially entered Colorado when three horses tested positive.

West Nile virus has arrived, and the virus is here to stay. As of the end of August, 34 horses tested positive for the virus — including 19 in Weld County — and at least six had died statewide from the virus.

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Colorado’s newest resident doesn’t surprise Lance Parryman, Colorado State University’s Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

“All of us (in the department) watched the news and followed the progression of the virus,” Parryman said. “It doesn’t surprise us that it reached Colorado this summer and it wouldn’t surprise me if it reached the West Coast possibly by the end of this year or next year.”

In Northern Colorado, the area most affected by the virus is at the confluence of the South Platte and Cache la Poudre rivers, according to Weld County health authorities.

Meanwhile, the county has started to combat the outbreak, setting extra mosquito traps last week in the most vulnerable locations. Data collected from the traps will help determine the need for additional control measures, officials said.

The idea that the virus will continue heading west is the common perception amongst people studying the virus.

According to a fact sheet published by the university, the virus made its first appearance in North America in 1999. Since arriving in New York, the virus has been reported in 27 states and Washington, D.C.

“I anticipate the disease will continue heading west,” Parryman said.

The disease is transmitted from birds to mosquitoes and then to mammals. During the summer, the cycle is continuous, but with fall approaching, some of the mosquito population is close to laying eggs for the spring.

According to the CSU fact sheet, the mosquito that may be responsible for transmitting the virus will pass the winter and other unfavorable periods inside houses and other sheltered areas and live as adults.

“The threat of the mosquitoes will usually last until the first frost,´ said Frank Peairs, entomology specialist for the CSU extension service. “Right about now, the mosquitoes are changing their diet of animal host to plant host to build carbohydrates for the winter.”

What is the possibility the virus and vectors housing the disease will not return next summer?

“Not very likely,´ said Richard Bowen a professor in Biomedical Sciences at CSU. “It’s here to stay.”

Bowen is working with fellow researchers to develop a vaccine for West Nile in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control.

“We are working on vaccines for horses and humans. Some people want us to develop a vaccine for birds, but that will be a tough nut to crack,” Bowen said.

Currently the only available vaccine is for horses and it is available through veterinarians.

Bowen began researching West Nile to see if animals other than birds were capable of retransmitting the virus.

“When I first started, I wanted to see if the infected horses would produce enough serum to reinfect the mosquito population, who would turn around and bite the handlers,” Bowen said.

Bowen was studying to see if animals like cats and dogs could act as amplifying hosts. His results showed that other animals don’t amplify as well as birds.

“Birds produce a whopping amount of the virus,” Bowen said.

What does the future of the virus look like?

“The virus is spreading rapidly, but it probably won’t get to California this summer,” Bowen said. “And, in a few years, we will have a vaccine for humans.”

CSU researchers work on human vaccine

On Aug. 15 it officially entered Colorado when three horses tested positive.

West Nile virus has arrived, and the virus is here to stay. As of the end of August, 34 horses tested positive for the virus — including 19 in Weld County — and at least six had died statewide from the virus.

Colorado’s newest resident doesn’t surprise Lance Parryman, Colorado State University’s Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

“All of us (in the department) watched the news and followed the progression of the virus,” Parryman said. “It doesn’t surprise…

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