West Nile virus (WNV) is a disease that can cause encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, in humans and other animals. If a mosquito bites a bird infected with WNV and then bites a human it can pass the virus to that person.

An Environmental Health sanitarian monitors local populations of mosquitoes for West Nile infection. This information helps us keep track of and alert the public to areas that are more likely to contain infected mosquitoes. We also monitor state health department reports of West Nile infected birds.

For West Nile facts and information click here

West Nile Links:

Others Working to Control West Nile Virus

The City of Champaign, the Village of Savoy, the University of Illinois and the City of Urbana work together to control those mosquito species that carry West Nile virus. By identifying breeding areas for these species and treating those areas to prevent mosquito larvae from developing into adult mosquitoes, spread of the disease can be reduced or stopped.