First Two Chickens Of Year Test Positive For West Nile In Contra Costa Co.

Two chickens in Contra Costa County tested positive for West Nile Virus, officials from the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District said Thursday.

The chickens, which are cared for by the district and act as harbingers for the county’s West Nile activity, were both living near the Holland Riverside Marina, which is between Discovery Bay and Knightsen. The chickens live in stationary coops, so district officials are certain the disease is active in that area, district spokeswoman, Deborah Bass said.

“When we find dead birds, we don’t know where they contracted the disease, only where they died,” Bass said. “Because the chickens are stationary, we know that means the virus is in that area.”

• Also see: First West Nile Virus Death Of 2015 Confirmed In California

Chickens develop natural antibodies to fight the disease, so they’re a useful indicator in determining where West Nile Virus is present in the county, Bass said.

The district maintains five flocks of 10 chickens each throughout the county and tests them every other week to see if they have developed antibodies to the disease, which means they have contracted it, she said.

Despite the recent cases, Bass said the district is actually seeing a reduction in West Nile activity compared to last year. In addition to the chickens, she said the district has had just one dead bird test positive for the disease and according to data provided by the district, only two samples of mosquitoes have tested positive.

By comparison, from 2006 to 2014, an average of 18 mosquito samples and 53 dead birds tested positive for the entire season, according to district data. It’s unclear what’s contributing to the reduction in West Nile activity, but Bass said residents should take precautions against the disease nevertheless.

On Monday, the state Department of Public Health confirmed an elderly woman from Nevada County was the first person in the state this year to die from the disease. No humans in Contra Costa County however, have reported contracting West Nile Virus, said Contra Costa Health Services spokeswoman Kate Fowlie.

People should use mosquito repellents containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus and avoid being outdoors at dawn or dusk, when mosquitoes are present.

Residents should also dump or drain standing water and report neglected swimming pools by calling (925) 771-6195. Dead birds should be reported to the state hotline at (877) 968-2473.

More information about West Nile Virus can be found at contracostamosquito.com.

--Bay City News/Morguefile photo