Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals | Bruce Greenstein, Secretary

West Nile Virus

Highlighted Facts

• Surveillance for WNV was initiated in Louisiana in the Spring 2000 and currently involves the testing of dead birds, live birds, sick horses, mosquito pools and sentinel chicken flocks.  With the exception of horse testing, WNV testing is performed at the request of individual mosquito abatement districts throughout the state. WNV is considered endemic or native to all parts of Louisiana, thus statewide dead bird reporting has been suspended. Dead bird testing is now understood to be a poor predictor of human cases and its value is limited unless part of a more comprehensive mosquito surveillance program, as is conducted by local or parish mosquito abatement districts.          
• Louisiana has four kinds of Encephalitis: West Nile Fever, Saint Louis, Eastern Equine and California Encephalitis.
• Click here for West Nile Virus FAQs

Recent News and Issues and Program Reports:

     Dead Bird Reporting

     Safe Handling Guidelines for Dead Birds

     West Nile Virus Surveillance Updates in Louisiana: 2012  2011  2010   2009   2008    2007    2006    2005    2004   2003    2002

     Arthropod-Borne Encephalitis in Louisiana - Annual Report

     WNV Annual Report - Louisiana

     West Nile Story

     Other Arbovirus Annual Reports - Louisiana 
          Saint Louis Encephalitis (SLE)
          Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and La Crosse (California Group) Encephalitis (LAC)

     Mayaro Virus in Louisiana - Louisiana Morbidity Report - pg 1

     WNV Epidemiology Manual 

     Repellent and Pesticides

          How Do I Choose a Repellant - Poster - CDC

 Health Education Materials:  The Infectious Disease Section offers limited quantities of  free
         West Nile virus and other mosquito borne disease educational materials.  Please contact the arbovirus 
         coordinator for further information and availabilities.

• Additional materials may be found at the CDC website
  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/education.htm
• Protecting Outdoor Workers from WNV http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-155/
• West Nile Virus and Wild Game  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/wnv_hunters.htm
• West Nile Virus and Transplant Recipients. (CDC) Download
• West Nile virus is a risk you can do something about. (CDC)  Download
• Spanish version Virus del Nilo Occidental. Protejase contra las picaduras! (CDC)
  Download  

 Partners

• American Academy of Pediatrics  http://www.aap.org/family/wnv.htm
• American Mosquito Control Association  http://www.mosquito.org/
• CDC Main Page for West Nile Virus http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
• Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry http://www.ldaf.state.la.us/portal/Offices/AnimalHealthandFoodSafety/VeterinaryHealthDivision/ReportableDiseases/tabid/342/Default.aspx
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries   http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/
• Louisiana Mosquito Control Association  http://www.lmca.us/
• LSU Louisiana State Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory http://laddl.lsu.edu/
• Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine http://www.sph.tulane.edu/
• USGS Arbovirus Disease Maps by State  http://westnilemaps.usgs.gov/
• Local Mosquito Control Programs
• Office of Public Health Laboratory
• Office of Public Health Sanitarians

Primary Contact Information

Louisiana Arboviral Coordinator: Christine Scott-Waldron, MSPH
Address: 1450 Poydras Street New Orleans, LA 70112	Telephone: (504) 568-8301  Fax: (504) 568-8290  Email: christine.scott-waldron@la.gov