The confirmation of West Nile virus in eight southern Ontario birds last week will have little effect on prairie livestock, said the co-director of the organization established to detect the virus in Canada.
Ted Leighton with the Canadian Co-operative Wildlife Health Centre said the closest positive confirmed case to the Canadian Prairies is in Indiana. The virus has not been found in the American Midwest, the American Northwest or even western Ontario.
“West Nile is a long way off,” said Leighton, who is based in Saskatoon.
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Seven dead crows from Windsor, Ont., and a blue jay from Ottawa have tested positive for the virus. The virus has killed 10 people in the United States since it was discovered in 1999. No human cases have been reported in Canada.
Leighton said a horse vaccine is being developed for West Nile virus and will likely be available before the virus migrates farther west.
Horses are the only livestock susceptible to West Nile virus, which is transmitted from birds to humans or horses via mosquitoes.
Birds of the crow family – jays, ravens and magpies – seem to be most susceptible to the virus.
“Seeing dead crows proves to be the most effective early warning program,” said Leighton.
