[va-richmond-general] Fw: West Nile study volunteers needed!

Here is a request for volunteers for a West Nile study.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Kim Harrell 
To: robin.ruth@xxxxxxx 
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 8:50 PM
Subject: West Nile study volunteers needed!

Hello Robin,

I'm Kim Harrell, also of Richmond Audubon, and I volunteer with ARK, the area 
wildlife rehabilitators club. We are trying to help the state health dept. do a 
West Nile study and are trying to get volunteers of two kinds: folks who have 
active contact with wild birds (such as banders), and folks who don't, who can 
act as a control for the study. Below is all the info we have at present (the 
study is still being developed). I thought maybe there was a way to post it for 
interested Audubon members. Debbie Pupa, wildlife rehabber, is our contact for 
this. I asked John Coe about this today and he suggested I send it to you! I am 
volunteering for this myself because it seems interesting, and I want to know 
if all those mosquitos who bit me last year in between molecules of bug spray 
have already given me West Nile!

thank you!
Kim Harrell




ARK has been contacted to initiate the testing by Tonya Bobo, Office of 
Epidemiology for the State Board of Health on the West Nile Virus. A  tentative 
schedule has been set up, I'm awaiting a little more information but needed to 
get this out to you ASAP so that you can decide if you can make the commitment. 
They are conducting a survey to see if it is possible to develop antibodies to 
the West Nile Virus. Wildlife rehabilitators have been contacted due to the 
very nature of their work with potentially ill native species.
 
The program will be held at the Chesterfield County Board of Health at the 
Government Center in Chester. A tentative start time of 7 PM that will include 
completing a survey, a blood sample taken, pizza and drinks and a presentation 
on the survey and how rehabbers can do oral swabs on suspicious fatalities 
along with time for questions and answers.
 
We have been asked if it could be done as early as May 27th, Thursday evening. 
That is less than 2 weeks away.
 
They are looking for anyone that will be having personal contact with wild 
birds to participate. This is not limited to physical contact, it can be in the 
same enclosed area as wild birds. This can include personnel at vet offices; 
transporters; volunteers; falconers; bird banders and rehabbers, etc.
 
As a control for the group they need just as many volunteers that have nothing 
to do with wild birds that are willing to be part of the study. They will have 
the same survey and blood sample taken.
 
This procedure will be repeated again at the conclusion of "bird season" and 
all results are kept private and confidential. The results will be given to 
each individual also. If you know other "handlers" in and around the area, it 
would be helpful if you would help network this information to them. No one 
under the age of 18, pregnant or immuno-compromised can participate.
 
I need a commitment from those willing to participate so that Tonya has an idea 
of the numbers. Anyone who is a "handler" that can bring one or more 
"non-handler" would be great, and if you are a "non-handler" that knows a 
potential "handler" who would be willing, please let me know. I need a break 
down, however. Please respond at your earliest convenience.
 
Feel free to contact me should you have any questions.
 
Debbie Pupa
598-7615
debzark@xxxxxxxxxxx
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