North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Dylan Ford" <dford@suffolk.lib.ny.us>]

Dylan Ford is the author of the proposal at www.ideaforpresident.com , a
website devoted to an idea that could provide an avenue to address pollution
issues, food safety, social justice, prison reform and healthcare.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dylan Ford" <dford@suffolk.lib.ny.us>
To: "Dylan Ford" <dford@suffolk.lib.ny.us>
Sent: Friday, July 02, 2004 9:36 PM
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] The bird pressure


Folks, I read a study years ago that determined that even birds that
habitually come to feeders rely on that food for less than 20% of their
nutrition - particularly when they are feeding their fledglings, which
require insect protein.  The argument that keeping birds around serves as an
attractant to mosquitoes that carry the West Nile Virus is absurd. Leaving
aside the mystery of the sudden appearance in the northeastern US of a
tropical disease carried by mosquitoes  - arriving from  - the West Nile
region of North Africa?...The infected mosquitoes are either present or not.
Mosquitoes do not track and follow wild birds or people or horses or
chickens. If the female mosquito happens upon a blood source (necessary to
develop their eggs), they will bite it. The presence of bitable birds is as
likely to spare human victims as to endanger them.
        I spend part of each day watching the catbirds and wrens and dragon
flies energetically ridding my organic garden of pests that can really
affect my life, and in the evening watching bats suck up the dread
mosquitoes ...and all the while pondering the appearance and continued
success of tropical viruses about which we should all be VERY panicked
although you can count the dead American victims of West Nile on your
fingers and toes (if you have 23), and they were all people in the advanced
stages of other mysterious immune-suppressing diseases (AIDS) or were very,
very old.
I enclose here material regarding West Nile Virus lifted in part and without
permission from a Red Cross web site.


Background:
The Virus' History, Distribution and Characterization Introduction: West
Nile Virus (WNV) has emerged in recent years in temperate regions of Europe
and North America, presenting a threat to public, equine (horse) and animal
health. The most serious manifestation of the WNV infection is fatal
encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in humans and horses, as well as
mortality in certain domestic and wild birds. Background: WNV is transmitted
to humans through mosquito bites. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed
on infected birds that have high levels of WNV in their blood. Infected
mosquitoes can then transmit WNV when they feed on humans or other animals.
WNV is not transmitted from person to person and there is no evidence that a
person can become infected by handling live or dead infected birds. But, to
add a further level of safety, if birds or other potentially infected
animals must be handled, a protective barrier (e.g., gloves, plastic bags)
should be used.
Most humans infected with WNV have no symptoms. A small proportion develops
mild symptoms that include fever, headache, body aches, skin rash and
swollen lymph glands. Less than 1 percent of infected people develop more
severe illness that includes meningitis (inflammation of the spinal cord) or
encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). The symptoms of these illnesses
can include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation,
coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis. Of the few people
that develop encephalitis, a small proportion die but, overall, this is
estimated to occur in less than 1 out of 1000 infections. The risk of severe
disease is higher for persons 50 years of age and older. There is no
specific treatment for WNV infection or vaccine to prevent it. Treatment of
severe illnesses includes hospitalization, use of intravenous fluids and
nutrition, respiratory support, prevention of secondary infections and good
nursing care. Medical care should be sought as soon as possible for persons
who have symptoms suggesting severe illness. Geographic Distribution:* In
the U.S. from 1999 through August 14, 2002, WNV has been documented in
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida,
Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. From 1999
through 2001, there were 149 cases of West Nile virus human illness in the
United States reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and
confirmed, including 18 deaths. In 2002, WNV activity has spread to most
eastern and mid-western states, with 113 cases and 5 deaths as of August
2002. *It is anticipated that the geographic distribution information will
change. For the most up-to-date disease surveillance, please check case
information at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm

Questions and Answers

Q. Where did West Nile Virus come from?
A. The West Nile Virus has been commonly found in humans and birds and other
vertebrates in Africa, Eastern Europe, West Asia and the Middle East, but
until 1999 had not previously been documented in the Western Hemisphere. It
is not known from where the U.S. virus originated, but it is most closely
related genetically to strains found in the Middle East.

Q. How is West Nile virus transmitted?
A. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds, which may
circulate the virus in their blood for a few days. Infected mosquitoes can
then transmit West Nile virus to humans and animals while biting to take
blood. The virus is located in the mosquito's salivary glands. During blood
feeding, the virus may be injected into the animal or human, where it may
multiply, possibly causing illness. Note: Different viruses are transmitted
in different ways. Unlike the West Nile Virus, HIV (human immunodeficiency
virus), the virus that causes AIDS, is not spread through mosquito bites.

Q. How does West Nile Virus actually cause severe illness and death in
humans?A. Following transmission by an infected mosquito, West Nile Virus
multiplies in the person's blood system and crosses what is called the
'blood-brain barrier' to reach the brain. The virus interferes with normal
central nervous system functioning and causes inflammation of brain tissue
or encephalitis.

Q. What is West Nile encephalitis?
A. "Encephalitis" means an inflammation of the brain and can be caused by
viruses and bacteria, including viruses transmitted by mosquitoes. West Nile
encephalitis is an infection of the brain caused by West Nile Virus, a
flavivirus commonly found in Africa, West Asia, and the Middle East. It is
closely related to St. Louis encephalitis virus found in the United States.

Q. Can you get West Nile encephalitis from another person?
A. No. West Nile encephalitis is NOT transmitted from person-to-person. For
example, you cannot get West Nile Virus from touching or kissing a person
who has the disease, or from a health care worker who has treated someone
with the disease.

Q. What are the symptoms of West Nile encephalitis?
A. Most infections are mild, and symptoms include fever, headache, and body
aches, occasionally with a skin rash on the trunk of the body and swollen
lymph glands. More severe infection may be marked by headache, high fever,
neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle
weakness, paralysis and, rarely, death. Symptoms of mild disease will
generally last a few days. Symptoms of severe disease may last several
weeks, although neurological effects may be permanent.

Q. What is the incubation period in humans (i.e., time from infection to
onset of disease symptoms) for West Nile encephalitis?
A. Usually 3 to 15 days.

Q. What should I do if I think I have symptoms of West Nile Virus?
A. Contact your health care provider if you have concerns about your health.
If you or your family members develop symptoms such as high fever,
confusion, muscle weakness and severe headaches, you should see your doctor
immediately.

Q. Is the disease seasonal in its occurrence?
A. In the temperate zone of the world (i.e., between latitudes 23.5° and
66.5° north and south), West Nile encephalitis cases occur primarily in the
late summer or early fall. In the southern climates where temperatures are
milder, West Nile Virus can be transmitted year round.

Q. How many cases of West Nile encephalitis in humans have occurred in the
U.S.?
A. In 1999, 62 cases of severe disease, including 7 deaths, occurred in the
New York area. In 2000, 21 cases were reported, including 2 deaths in the
New York City area. In 2001, there were 66 human cases of severe disease and
9 deaths. No reliable estimates are available for the number of cases of
West Nile encephalitis that occur worldwide. Please see CDC's current case
count for information on 2002 cases in the U.S.

Q. Is West Nile virus transmitted through blood transfusions?
A. No cases of West Nile Virus attributed to transfusion of blood or blood
products have been reported either in the US or in other areas of the world
with previous epidemics. While there is a theoretical possibility that WNV
can be transmitted by blood transfusion the risk is regarded as extremely
low. In areas where there are human cases, the low theoretical risk is
further reduced by careful attention to existing donor screening procedures.
This information has been compiled from materials provided by several
federal agencies. For additional information or resource documentation,
please reference the following Web sites: · US Geological Survey Center for
Integrated Natural Disaster Information:
http://cindi.usgs.gov/hazard/event/west_nile/west_nile.html · Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm · US Food and Drug
Administration: http://www.fda.gov/cber/safety/westnile.htm · State/Local
Health Department: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/city_states.htm



Dylan Ford is the author of the proposal at www.ideaforpresident.com , a
website devoted to an idea that could provide an avenue to address pollution
issues, food safety, social justice, prison reform and healthcare.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, July 02, 2004 6:35 PM
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] The bird pressure


> Of course there are different ways to handle birds, too.  Feeding means
you
> are giving them a source of food they wouldn't have in the wild, making
them
> dependent on you.  Giving them their proper habitat, but NOT feeding them,
> can allow them to be self sufficient.
>    On THAT thought, there are more birds you DO want than not.  Birds that
> eat only insects, or only seeds, usually mean less weeds and fewer pests.
> And there are some like wrens that are both insect eaters and so
> aggressively territorial that if you give them habitat, they will keep all
> other birds away.  I know of a blueberry grower who put wren houses at the
> corners of a one acre blueberry patch and they kept all the fruit eating
> birds out.  When one house was wrecked in a storm, fruit eaters moved into
> that area of the patch.
>    My son, who is in fish and wildlife, says all the wren species are
> territorial that way, so that if you provide (for example) a small pond
with
> reeds and cattails, the marsh wrens will keep other birds away for some
> distaince around the pond.
>    So part of it is learning to give the birds what they need so that you
> can have the RIGHT kind of birds around.  My choice, for instance would be
> wrens, swallows, and bluebirds.  All are insect eaters, with the swallows
> scooping up the mosquitoes in particular, and you would still have some
> beautiful birds to look at, without them being dependent on you for food.
>
> -Lon Rombough
>
>
>


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