[1]
Date: Wed 17 Jan 2001 11:52:45 -0500
From: Martin S. Chomsky <mchomsky@shore.co.monmouth.nj.us>
Source: New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, News Release,
Tue 16 Jan 2001 [edited]
<http://www.state.nj.us/health/news/p10117a.htm>
West Nile Virus Update - Sixth Human Case in New Jersey
-------------------------------------------------------
TRENTON: Laboratory testing completed last week by the federal Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed that a sixth New Jersey
resident was infected with the West Nile virus (WNV) in 2000. The
resident, a 45 year-old Atlantic Highlands (Monmouth County) man, went to
his doctor's office on 2 Oct 2000 with a 5-day history of fever and
headache. He was not admitted to a hospital and his symptoms subsided. A
sample of the man's blood, drawn in his doctor's office and sent to a
commercial laboratory for analysis, was determined to be positive for the
presence of WNV antibodies in late Oct 2000. The CDC received a blood
sample in Nov 2000 and also found WNV antibodies. Confirmatory testing on
additional samples was completed on 12 Jan 2001.
In total, 55 residents met WNV testing criteria and of those, 6 tested
positive, 45 were negative, 3 are pending and 1 individual declined
testing. In addition to human cases, birds, horses and mosquitoes also
tested positive for WNV this year.
The New Jersey Departments of Health and Senior Services, Environmental
Protection and Agriculture, and other federal, state, county and local
health and mosquito control agencies are currently assessing strategies and
actions taken last year to make modifications and improvements for reducing
the risk of human and animal exposure to WNV in 2001.
--
Martin S. Chomsky
<mchomsky@shore.co.monmouth.nj.us>
******
[2]
Date: Wed 17 Jan 2001 11:52:45 -0500
From: Martin S. Chomsky <mchomsky@shore.co.monmouth.nj.us>
Why?
-----
The time period involved in the testing of human blood for West Nile virus
seems to take forever.
Since the initial blood test was taken on 2 Oct 2000, why has it taken
almost 3-1/2 months for the positive blood test to be confirmed?
Perhaps a ProMED-mail contributor or reader may have some information that
can explain the reasons behind the lengthy confirmation process.
--
Martin S. Chomsky, MPH
Superintendent/Executive Secretary
Monmouth County Mosquito Commission
PO Box 162
Eatontown, New Jersey 07724-0162
<mchomsky@shore.co.monmouth.nj.us>
[Answers, please - Mod.CP]
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail, a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org