West Nile study: Urban areas high risk

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Grand Rapids has ramped up the battle against the tiny bloodsuckers that spread West Nile virus, which can be deadly, during a spike in the number of illnesses and one death within the city.

Where you live may be one of the biggest risk factors in contracting West Nile virus, according to a study by researchers at Michigan State University.

== Read the study: Association of West Nile virus illness and urban landscapes in Chicago and Detroit (pdf) ==

As part of the study, researchers looked at results from urban landscapes in Chicago and Detroit.

The study found that those who live in an area where homes were built from the 1940s to the 1960s are more likely to get West Nile virus -- 10 times more likely in certain circumstances.

But why?

"There are really three reasons," explained MSU professor Dr. Ned Walker, who co-authored a study about where West Nile virus cases pop up. "One is high density housing, so there are a lot of people together. The second is the tree structure because birds are a really important component to this disease system and there is nesting and there is roosting area."

Another important factor, Walker said, is where the mosquitos that spread the disease come from: Storm drain catch basins.

That is why the City of Grand Rapids is directing its efforts at the drains. It announced earlier this week that it would place larvicide pellets in the catch basins to kill off the breed of mosquito that spreads the disease. The city will concentrate its attack in the areas that have had the highest rates of infection.

"Today we have eight people throughout the city larviciding in various areas," Kathie Kuzwa of the City of Grand Rapids told 24 Hour News 8 in Thursday.

The breakdown of Kent County case locations shows a heavy concentration in the types of neighborhoods the MSU study specified.

It's true that there are storm sewers in new neighborhoods and there are lots of trees in rural areas, but it seems the combination of all of the factors together is what heightens risk.

Additionally, there often older people in older neighborhoods, and the elderly are especially vulnerable to West Nile virus.

During a national spike in the number of confirmed West Nile virus cases, Kent County -- and the state of Michigan -- is on track for a record number of West Nile virus cases.

Lorraine Gutowski, 87, of Grand Rapids died Wednesday and was the first in West Michigan to die after contracting West Nile. Hers was the fifth caused by West Nile in Michigan this year.

On Thursday, the Kent County Health Department said it had tracked 25 confirmed or probably cases of illness caused by West Nile virus.

There were several other cases confirmed in prospective blood donors who did not exhibit any symptoms.

Thursday, Kalamazoo County announced its first confirmed case in a human. Muskegon, Ottawa and Allegan counties have also reported one case each.

Michigan Department of Community Health Interim Chief Medical Executive Dean Sienko told the Associated Press on Monday there have been 80 human cases of West Nile this year in the state. In 62 of those cases, the patients required hospitalization. He said Michigan is experiencing an "epidemic of West Nile virus activity."

Wayne County -- the Detroit area -- has reported the most confirmed cases at 27, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Nationally, there have been nearly 1,600 confirmed West Nile virus cases nationwide and more than 60 deaths as of Wednesday. Nearly half of the number of cases and deaths have been in Texas.

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Recommendations from the Kent County Health Department:

• Use insect repellent when outdoors. Apply repellent to clothing and exposed skin, and follow directions on the product label.
• Don't apply repellent under clothing, or on cuts, wounds or irritated skin. You should not apply repellent around the eyes or mouth, and if using spray, apply spray to your hands first, and then apply to face.  
• Repellent should not be used on infants under 2 months old at all. KCHD recommends putting netting over the infant's stroller. DEET-containing products should be avoided for children 24 months of age or younger, and those containing oil of lemon eucalyptus should not to be used on children under three years of age. 
• When using repellent on children, put it on your hands first, then on the child. Children tend to put their hands in or near their mouths, so don't apply repellent to a child's hands.  
• After you and your children get back indoors, wash off the repellent with soap and water, and wash treated clothing before wearing again.
• At home, be sure you are not making it easy for mosquitoes to breed. Make sure to eliminate any standing water. Twice a week, empty water from birdbaths, flower pots, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels, and cans. Make sure rain gutters are clear of debris. Throw out old tires and other items that could collect water.
• Avoid areas where