West Nile Virus

General Information:

Surveillance for West Nile Virus (WNV) was initiated in Louisiana in the Spring 2000 and currently involves the testing of sick horses and mosquito pools.  With the exception of horse testing, WNV testing is performed at the request of individual mosquito abatement districts throughout the state. WNV is considered endemic or native to all parts of Louisiana, thus statewide dead bird reporting has been suspended. Dead bird testing is now understood to be a poor predictor of human cases and its value is limited unless part of a more comprehensive mosquito surveillance program, as is conducted by local or parish mosquito abatement districts.

• Louisiana has four kinds of Encephalitis: West Nile Fever, Saint Louis, Eastern Equine and California Encephalitis.
• Click here for West Nile Virus FAQs
• Click here for Information on Preventing Mosquito Bites  
• Click here for CDC’s Fight the Bite Resources

WNV Surveillance:

Annual Reports:

Encephalitis Annual Reports available here 

Weekly Reports:

2024 Arboviral Reports

 Archived Seasonal Reports:

2023  2022  2021  2020  2019  2018  2017 2016  2013  2012  2011  2010  2009  2008  2007  2006  2005  2004  2003  2002

   Dead Birds: 

Dead Bird Reporting

     Safe Handling Guidelines for Dead Birds

Health Education Materials: 
The Infectious Disease Section offers limited quantities of  free West Nile virus and other mosquito borne disease educational materials. For more information email marceia.walker@la.gov or the program coordinator.

• West Nile Virus - (CDC)  www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/about/index.html
• Protecting Outdoor Workers from WNV http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-155/
• West Nile Virus and Pregnancy/Breastfeeding (CDC) Pregnancy/Breastfeeding  https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/causes/west-nile-and-breastfeeding.html
• West Nile Virus and Blood Donations (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/causes/blood-transfusions.html                                      
• Español  Prevención y Control https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/pdfs/mosquitobitepreventionus_esp_508.pdf

Partners:

• American Mosquito Control Association  http://www.mosquito.org/
• Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry http://www.ldaf.state.la.us/animal-health/veterinary-health-division/diseases/
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries   http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/
• Louisiana Mosquito Control Association  http://www.lmca.us/
• LSU Louisiana State Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory http://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/laddl/index.php  
• Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine http://www.sph.tulane.edu/
• Office of Public Health Laboratory
• Office of Public Health Sanitarian Services

Primary Contact Information