FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF MAY 20, 2001:
Am I at increased risk of contracting West Nile Virus in Idaho if I feed migrating birds in my backyard?
Not that we know of, say public health officials. So far, West Nile Virus--which can cause encephalitis in humans--has not been found west of Pennsylvania or south of North Carolina. And where it has occurred, its transmission has depended on a mosquito bite. In other words, no one has caught West Nile Virus from feathers or bird droppings. They have only caught it from a mosquito that first bit an infected bird.
Since its first reported occurrence in the U.S. in September 1999, West Nile Virus has been found in 57 bird species in Eastern states. Thousands of birds--overwhelmingly crows and blue jays--have died. Other infected birds include pigeons, common grackles, European starlings, American robins, house sparrows, cedar waxwings, ring-billed doves, mourning doves, yellow-billed cuckoos, sandhill cranes, black-crowned night-herons, great blue herons, mallards, Canada geese, belted kingfishers, bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, Cooper's hawks, American kestrels, ruffed grouse and cockatiels.
Deputy state epidemiologist Dr. Leslie Tengelsen, who is leading West Nile Virus monitoring efforts in the Gem State, doubts the virus will surface in Idaho this year. "But I think it is inevitable that it will get here eventually," she says.
In humans, symptoms include high fever, headache and body aches, skin rash, swollen lymph glands, neck stiffness, disorientation and convulsions. "Most people who are infected don't even know they're sick," says Tengelsen, "but a few may go on to have a serious illness--especially if they're over 65 and have pre-existing health problems." In fact, eight people lost their lives to West Nile Virus encephalitis or meningitis in 1999 and 2000.
Although the typical north-to-south migratory patterns of birds is likely to slow movement to Idaho, University of Idaho veterinary pathologist Bruce Anderson says mosquitoes may bring the virus here directly. "Mosquitoes from abroad are common hitchhikers on all sorts of modern transports, so the popping up of foreign viruses here and there would not be surprising," he says.
Tengelsen encourages Idahoans to report unusual die-offs of birds--especially crows, jays and their raven and magpie relatives--to district health departments, state and federal wildlife agencies, or the Idaho Department of Agriculture.
Our 14-year-old son would like to mow lawns around our neighborhood this summer. My husband and I have doubts about whether he's sufficiently responsible, but we haven't discouraged him because we suspect the enterprise might teach him the importance of following through on his commitments. What do you think?
Harriet Shaklee, University of Idaho extension family development specialist, thinks your son's lawn-mowing service could be even more challenging for you than for him, but the effort you make as a family may very well prove worthwhile.
"Generally, with a 14-year-old, you can expect to have to do some reminding," she says. "That's just the way young people are. But it's a great activity for kids to be doing in the summer--provided they've demonstrated to you that they can operate a power mower safely."
Shaklee recommends accompanying your son on his initial visits to his clients. Supervise his early efforts so that he understands what an acceptable job looks like to an adult. "A 14-year-old's idea of a job well done and an adult's idea may not agree," she says. That may be inconvenient and time-consuming for you initially, Shaklee says, but as in all parenting endeavors, "guidance towards success is preferable to having to reprimand for failing to meet the goal."
The creosote-treated railroad ties that we installed in various places around our landscape are oozing. Is it a threat to our pets--especially to our dog, who sometimes gnaws on the wood?
Creosote--which is primarily a mixture of coal tar and the aromatic hydrocarbons phenol and creosol--can cause serious systemic problems if your pet eats enough of it. However, it's highly unlikely that your dog could chew up enough wood to get a damaging dose, says Patricia Talcott, University of Idaho veterinary toxicologist.
A more likely occurrence is a caustic skin reaction, should you or your pets rub up against the oozing creosote.
[READERS: Do you have a question about your home, yard or garden? Send it to HomeWise, University of Idaho Ag Communications, Moscow, ID 83844-2332 or e-mail it to homewise@uidaho.edu. Mention of proprietary products or firms does not constitute endorsement by the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System or imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.]