Posted on May 2: McMaster leads first study to track West Nile virus in Canada

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/WNv_opt.jpg” caption=”West Nile virus”]McMaster researchers are partnering with the Ontario government to conduct the first Canadian study that will help protect the public from West Nile virus.

Tony Clement, Ontario minister of health and long-term care and Colin D'Cunha, Ontario commissioner of public health were at McMaster today to announce the study that will determine the extent of community exposure to West Nile virus, in an area of Halton Region where the virus was known to be prevalent last summer.

About 1,500 people are involved in the study, conducted by McMaster's medical geographers John Eyles and Susan Elliott and Mark Loeb, an infectious diseases specialist.

This is the first study in Canada to track the prevalence of West Nile virus. Their study, conducted through the McMaster Institute of Environment and Health, is focused on residents of southern Oakville, who had the highest rates of confirmed cases in Canada last year. The objective is to gather information on how many people were infected by the virus last summer but did not exhibit serious symptoms of the illness.

Participants have already been surveyed about their attitudes and behaviours toward the virus, and a blood sample will be taken to determine if there is a presence of the West Nile virus antibody. Blood sample collections will be completed in early May and results of the tests will be completed by mid-June and made available to the people who participated in the study.

The announcement is part of the government's new seven-point action plan to combat West Nile virus, in which they are investing $100 million over five years.

Photo caption: From left, Colin D'Cunha, Susan Elliott, Mark Loeb and Tony Clement at a press conference today at McMaster University. Photo credit: Chantall Van Raay