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HOW IS THE PHMDC RESPONDING?

The Public Health Department is focusing on education, surveillance, and limited treatment of mosquito breeding habitat in the Madison Metropolitan Area to address the concern about WNV in our area. The Madison Metropolitan Area includes the City and Town of Madison, Middleton, Monona, Maple Bluff, Shorewood Hills, Sun Prairie, and the University of Wisconsin.

Surveillance

Public Health collects information on dead crows and blue jays to measure the impact of WNV on the bird population from year to year. At this time, this is our best measure of the level of this disease in Madison and Dane County and helps the Department determine the risk of humans to become ill with WNV from May through October.

Dane County residents who find a sick or dead crow or blue jay should call 1-800-433-1610 to report the bird.

In Dane County, Animal Services Officers will be picking up some sick blue jays and crows and submitting them for WNV testing. Testing for WNV in sick crows and blue jays ends after two birds test positive for WNV.

Public Health staff also collect and monitor information on WNV infection in humans throughout the season. Infections in humans are monitored through lab testing and reports from healthcare providers.

Treatment of Mosquito Breeding Areas

In 2008, Public Health will continue monitoring for mosquito breeding and treating sources of water on public land that are found to produce high numbers of mosquitoes known to carry and transmit WNV (primarily Culex species). The primary objective of this treatment will be to limit the build up of WNV infection in the bird population. This treatment protects human health by reducing the amount of virus in the environment. The Department will continue to trap adult mosquitoes to measure population levels.


For questions about mosquito monitoring and control, contact jhausbeck@publichealthmdc.com
Key Contacts
Report a sick or dead crow or blue jay:
1-800-433-1610
(Dane County)

West Nile Virus in Dane County or Mosquito Monitoring & Control: (608) 266-4821 or email Public Health
ADDITIONAL LINKS