Environmental Health Services
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West Nile Virus & Vector Surveillance
The goal of the Vector Program is to conduct surveillance activities to identify, control and reduce the population of specific insects that have the potential for becoming disease vectors.
In 2007, there were two human cases attributed to WNV in Madison County. In Illinois, local municipal governments rather than local health departments typically conduct chemical mosquito control methods such as adulticiding and larviciding. Health Department staff conduct surveillance activities as well as provide educational materials in response to West Nile Virus.
Dead Bird Surveillance:
Investigations by health officials have found that wild birds, especially crows and blue jays, are key indicator species of West Nile Virus in an area. The Dead Bird Surveillance Program is an important tool that is used to gauge appropriate responses to address the potential for human cases of WNV.
Criteria for testing: All perching birds will be accepted for testing. Examples of such birds are: the crow, blue jay, grackle, starling, sparrow, finch, robin, cardinal, flycatcher, swallow, catbird, mockingbird, warbler, and wren. Birds should be dead within 24-48 hours and not decomposed (strong odor present, dried/deflated eyes, maggots present or bloated with decomposition gases). Birds should have no obvious cause of death. Eligible birds will be submitted to the laboratory by health department staff. To report a dead crow or blue jay contact 618-692-8954 extension #3. Dead birds will be accepted for testing from May 1 to October 15, 2008.
Note: Bird specimens cannot be mailed to the lab on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, or the day before a holiday. The carcass of the dead bird must be refrigerated until the health department can pick-up the bird and submit it to the lab.
Additional information is available by contacting Environmental Health at 618-692-8954 ext. #3 or the IDPH West Nile Virus information hotline at 866-369-9710 (toll-free).