National & World Ag News Headlines West Nile Virus Found in Delaware Chickens USAgNet - 08/27/2007 West Nile virus has been detected for the first time this year in blood samples taken from Delaware's sentinel chickens that are systematically monitored for mosquito-borne diseases. The samples were collected as part of a statewide surveillance program conducted by the Mosquito Control Section of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The results were reported to DNREC over the past week by the Delaware Division of Public Health Laboratory, and came from a sentinel chicken sampled by Mosquito Control on Aug. 6 at a Cherry Island station in southeastern Wilmington near the mouth of the Christina River and another sentinel chicken sampled on Aug. 13 at the same station. According to Mosquito Control Administrator William Meredith, Ph.D., due to habitats and other environmental conditions found within this area, Cherry Island has historically been a "hot spot" for the presence of West Nile virus The Cherry Island sentinel chicken station is one of 24 caged chicken stations operated statewide by Mosquito Control. The sentinel chickens are humanely kept and tended in the field. If exposed to West Nile and eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) viruses - both of which can affect humans and horses - the chickens develop antibodies that enable them to survive. Their blood is tested every two weeks for these antibodies, indicative of virus transmission to the birds. Copyright © 2010 - USAgNet.com. All Rights Reserved.