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The West Nile Virus Story

By Dr. Dale Wrubleski

Summary

With up to 70 percent of Canada’s wetlands having already been removed from the Canadian landscape, West Nile virus brings another concern to Ducks Unlimited Canada. With wetlands being one of many identified mosquito-breeding habitats, misguided attempts to control mosquito populations have the potential to degrade or destroy wetland habitats. It is crucial that people obtain as much information as possible before making short-term decisions that could have negative ramifications for years to come.

Dr. Dale Wrubleski has been involved in wetland and waterfowl research for more than 20 years, the last four as a member of DUC’s Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research. Specializing in wetland ecology, Dale’s entomology expertise provides us with a valuable insight into the West Nile virus.

Their irritating nature aside, we’ve all taken some comfort from the fact Canada’s mosquitoes rarely carry the deadly diseases that ravage much of the Third World. But that was before the West Nile virus showed up unexpectedly in North America four years ago.

West Nile virus first appeared in New York City in the summer of 1999. Officials knew something was wrong after hundreds of dead crows were found in the borough of Queens. Soon after, several local hospitals began admitting patients with encephalitis symptoms. By the end of the summer, 62 people were hospitalized and seven were dead. Among the dead was one Canadian who had visited New York during the outbreak. Health officials confirmed soon after that West Nile virus had arrived in North America.

Before that, the West Nile virus had been found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and west and central Asia. The virus was first isolated in the West Nile district of Uganda in 1937. Its life cycle was described in Egypt in the 1950s, and the first recognized outbreak occurred in Israel in 1957. More recent outbreaks of West Nile disease in humans have occurred in Algeria, the Czech Republic, Romania, southern Russia and Israel.

Since its arrival in North America, the virus has spread across much of the United States and Canada. It has been recorded in five provinces (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia) and 44 states. Recent news reports indicate that the virus is now in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. No one knows for sure how it crossed the Atlantic Ocean. But now that it is here, it is here to stay. We will all need to start taking extra precautions when spending time outside during mosquito season.

Page 2: The Virus Cycle >>

 
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