Wood-Ridge, New Jersey 07075 - West Nile Virus and Dead Birds

West Nile Virus and Dead Birds

PDF Documents for Bergen County Area:

Bergen County West Nile Virus 2003
- Procedure for ALL Dead Bird Submissions and Dead Bird Sightings

NJ Dead-Ill Bird Report / Lab Submission Form - Bergen County

Q. What should I do if I find a dead bird?
A. Check with with your local or state health department for instructions on reporting and diposing of a dead bird. If you need to pick up a dead bird, or local authorities tell you to simply dispose of it: Avoid bare-handed contact with any dead animals, and use gloves or an inverted plastic bag to place the bird carcass in a garbage bag and dispose of it with your routine trash.

Q. Do birds infected with West Nile virus die or become ill?
A. In the 1999 New York area epidemic, there was a large die-off of American crows. Since then, West Nile virus has been identified in more than 200 species of birds found dead in the United States. Most of these birds were identified through reporting of dead birds by the public.

Q. How can I report a sighting of dead bird(s) in my area?
A. State and local health departments start collecting reports of dead birds at different times in the year. Some wait until the weather becomes warm before initiating their surveillance (disease monitoring) program. For information about reporting dead birds in your specific area, please contact your state or local health department.

Q. Why do some areas stop collecting dead birds?
A. Some states and jurisdictions are no longer collecting dead birds because they have sufficiently established that the virus is in an area, and additional testing will not reveal any more information. Shifting resources away from testing of dead birds allows those resources to be devoted elsewhere in surveillance and control.

Additional Information:

Home
West Nile Virus and Dead Birds
West Nile Virus, Pregnancy and Breast-Feeding
West Nile Virus Is A Risk You Can Do Something
About With A Few Simple Steps.
Cases of West Nile Human Disease
West Nile Virus and Dogs and Cats
West Nile Virus: Information and Guidance for Clinicians
Insect Repellent Use and Safety
Symptoms of West Nile Virus
Testing and Treating West Nile Virus in Humans
Blood Transfusion, Organ Donation and Blood Donation Screening Information
Transmission of the West Nile Virus