Dead Crow Densities and Human Cases of West Nile Virus, New York State, 2000

Abstract

In 2000, Staten Island, New York, reported 10 human West Nile virus cases and high densities of dead crows. Surrounding counties with <2 human cases had moderate dead crow densities, and upstate counties with no human cases had low dead crow densities. Monitoring such densities may be helpful because this factor may be determined without the delays associated with specimen collection and testing.

Keywords

• West Nile virus
• West Nile fever
• encephalitis
• arbovirus
• birds
• epidemiology