MEDIA ADVISORY
CU-Boulder Takes Precautions to Reduce West Nile Virus Among Students
Officials of the Wardenburg Health Center, residence hall staff and grounds crews at the University of Colorado at Boulder are taking precautions to reduce the risk of exposure to West Nile Virus for students returning to campus this week.
The attached fact sheet outlines some of the steps being taken including distribution of 30,000 towelettes treated with DEET, posting of the state's "Fight the Bite" posters and reduction of standing water on campus, including areas surrounding residence halls.
One student resident of Family Housing was diagnosed with a mild form of the virus last week and is being treated by a physician.
For more information on CU-Boulder West Nile Virus precautions contact Bob Cranny, director of Wardenburg Health Center at (303) 492-0025, Jeff Lipton, executive director of Facilities Management, at (303) 492-1525, John Bruning, director of the physical plant at (303) 492-4229 and Deb Coffin, director of housing, (303) 492-6494.
Contact: Bob Cranny, (303) 492-0025
Jeff Lipton, (303) 492-1525
John Bruning, (303) 492-4229
Deb Coffin, (303) 492-6494
Pauline Hale, (303) 735-6183
University of Colorado at Boulder
Aug. 19, 2003
* CU-Boulder's Wardenburg Health Center and the Housing Department have begun an education and prevention campaign to reduce exposure to West Nile Virus among the campus community, in preparation for the start of the school year.
* Information about the virus is provided on the Web site of Wardenburg Health Center at .
* "Fight the Bite" posters, prepared by the state of Colorado, are being distributed on bulletin boards around campus.
* Â鶹ÊÓƵ 30,000 towelettes moistened with mosquito repellent containing DEET will be distributed in residence halls and at outdoor activities. Individuals will be asked to read the label before use. Repellent containing DEET is not appropriate for everyone.
* Educational materials will be prepared and distributed to Resident Advisers in the campus's residence halls.
* Only one case of the West Nile virus has been reported among students living on campus at the University of Colorado at Boulder this summer.
* A female student living in Family Housing reported having been diagnosed the week of Aug. 11 with the West Nile virus. The student has a mild form of the disease and is being treated by a physician.
* Family Housing is distributing information about the mosquito-borne West Nile virus to all residents, including recommended precautions.
* Family Housing, which includes apartment buildings near Boulder Creek, is taking the following steps to reduce exposure to mosquitoes:
o Grounds crews are reducing the amount and frequency of watering in the area.
o Crews are looking for and removing standing water in the area.
o Grass is being trimmed to lower levels.
* On the main campus, a number of efforts to reduce mosquito exposure have been initiated, including eliminating standing-water sources. Temporary and permanent bodies of water are treated with a naturally occurring bacteria called Bacillus thurengiensis israeliensis (Bti), which acts as a larvacide. Bodies of water, such as Kittredge Pond and University Pond, are being treated with the larvacide once a week. Twice a week, Facilities Management staff are monitoring water sources for the presence of larvae and monitoring traps for adult mosquitoes.
* According to Boulder County Public Health officials, individuals should take the following precautions to reduce exposure to mosquitoes:
o Reduce or eliminate outdoor activity between dusk and dawn because mosquito activity is especially high during that period.
o Wear long sleeves and long pants while in areas where mosquito activity is high.
o Wear insect repellent that contains the active ingredient known as DEET.
o Eliminate areas of standing water around residences where mosquitoes are likely to live and breed.
* According to the federal Centers for Disease Control, about 20 percent of people who become infected will develop West Nile fever, which has mild symptoms, including fever, headache and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash on the trunk of the body and swollen lymph glands.
* CDC estimates that less than 1 percent of persons infected with the West Nile virus will develop a more severe form of disease. Severe cases are highest among the elderly.
* The disease is spread by mosquitos, not person-to-person.
* Colorado has the highest number of reported cases, although the higher numbers do not necessarily mean there is more disease in the state, according to the CDC. "The decision to report West Nile encephalitis or West Nile fever or both really is a state decision," said Dr. Stephen Ostroff, a West Nile expert with the CDC. He said the decision is based on the resources that states have available. "In Colorado, because there has been utilization of a lot of the private labs, they have been able to identify more fever and they choose to report it to us."
* More information is available through these Web sites and hotline:
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o Colorado State Health Department Phone hotline: 1-877-462-2911