Comprehensive Surveillance, Prevention, and Control Measures for West Nile Virus in Monroe County, Pennsylvania

Abstract

Despite ongoing recession-induced cutbacks of public health program funding, this article presents a feasible option to certain issues raised at the Second National Planning Meeting for the Surveillance, Prevention, and Control of West Nile Virus in the United States (Nasci, 2001; Roehrig, 2001). This county-level, cost-effective program illustrates the importance of maintaining and improving public health infrastructure, including the role of enhanced surveillance and vector control efforts in preventing human cases of infection. Many agencies at the federal, state, and local levels are available to assist in the planning and start-up of such programs. The goal of Monroe County's Vector Control Program has been to minimize or eliminate risk of arthropod-borne disease to residents/resort area visitors, through a comprehensive Integrated Pest Management framework for mosquito surveillance and control. Monroe County has supplemented their efforts with (1) new technology like Internet/Web-based surveillance data reporting, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and Geographic information Systems (GIS); (2) vigorous public education and involvement, including mosquito breeding site identification, control strategies for the homeowner/other residents, and use of personal protection measures; (3) active interaction with East Stroudsburg University; and (4) interagency collaboration, including local, state, and federal agencies. Until September 2003, when the first and only (to date) human case was reported, there were no human infection cases in Monroe County.