West Nile virus found in Yolo County chicken
A chicken in a flock between Davis and Woodland has tested positive for the West Nile virus, officials said today.
The chicken is part of a flock of 10 birds that the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control maintains in that location to monitor the presence of the virus and reduce transmission to people.
Blood samples of each chicken are tested each week at six flocks in the district. When an infected mosquito bites a chicken, the bird does not become ill.
Instead, it develops antibodies toward the virus. Finding the virus in a chicken is significant because the flocks don't interact with wild, uncaged birds.
"This means transmission of West NIle is occurring specifically in that area," said David Brown, district manager.
The district also has seen a high number of mosquitoes in Yolo County. Brown suggested residents protect themselves with mosquito repellent at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
As a result of the positive test, the district will continue trapping mosquitoes in the area and apply ground spraying to reduce the mosquito population.