[va-richmond-general] Fw: West Nile study volunteers needed!
- From: "Robin Ruth" <robin.ruth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 15 May 2004 22:43:45 -0700
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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