 |
 |
West Nile Virus Notes On Tuesday, September 17, 2002, Harrington Regional Medical Center and the Health Authority of Potter and Randall Counties teamed up to answer public questions about West Nile virus and to provide the public and media with information about its effect on human and animal health in the Texas Panhandle. West Nile Virus is endemic – or now established in the United States –, and cases of birds or livestock infected with West Nile have now been confirmed in all 26 counties of the Texas panhandle. The virus, which can cause encephalitis, was first detected in the United States in New York in 1999 and has been found in 37 states and the District of Columbia. Participating in the panel of distinguished speakers who addressed public concerns about West Nile virus were Dr. J. Rush Pierce, Jr. the Bi-County Health Authority for Potter and Randall Counties; Dr. Mary Townsend, Medical Director and Vice-President of Medical Affairs at the Coffee Memorial Blood Center; Dr. Greta Schuster, an entomologist from West Texas A&M University; Dr. Carl Patrick, Extension Entomologist at the Texas A&M Agricultural Research and Extension Center; and Dr. Richard Mock, a specialist in virology at the Texas A&M Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories. “HRMCI is fortunate to have represented in its membership experts in both the human and animal health sciences,” said Stephen H. Gens, President and C.O.O of Harrington Regional Medical Center, Inc. “Because of this, we thought we were perfectly suited to address public concerns regarding West Nile virus and to allow our constituents an opportunity to ask their questions about the virus directly to experts in epidemiology, entomology, and human and animal health.” For more information about the seminar, please contact Kay Brizzolara at the Harrington Regional Medical Center, 356-0488. Presenters
Dr. Rush Pierce, Jr. of the Health Authority of Potter and Randall Counties discusses the background the of West Nile virus, its effects on human health, its signs and symptoms, its transmission, and when individuals should seek medical attention for a possible West Nile virus infection.
Dr. Mary Townsend, Medical Director and Vice President of Medical Affairs at the Coffee Memorial Blood Center, outlines the possible effects of West Nile Virus on blood transfusions and organ transplants and on the means of controlling any possible spread of the virus through these procedures.
Dr. Greta Schuster, an entomologist from West Texas A&M University, and Dr. Carl Patrick, Extension Entomologist at the Texas A&M Agricultural Research and Extension Center present information on the mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus. Dr. Patrick and Dr. Schuster have been actively involved in the collection and control of the mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus, and they spoke about the mosquito carriers, their habitat, possible control of the insects, and how the public can protect itself from infection.
Dr. Richard Mock, a specialist in virology at the Texas A&M Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories outlines the history of equine infections of West Nile Virus in the U.S., the viruses effects on animal health, the potential danger West Nile virus poses to area agricultural livestock, and how and when livestock can be protected. |