May 22, 2012

Re:      Bird Testing for West Nile Virus Surveillance

Dear Mayor:

The New Jersey Division of Health and Senior Service’s Public Health and Environmental Laboratories (PHEL) is currently accepting birds for testing for West Nile Virus.  The PHEL will accept any bird from the corvid family.  The most common corvids found in New Jersey are crows and blue jays.

Please see the attached information with regard to submission of birds for testing.

We encourage you to discuss this issue with your Board of Public Health.  If you have any questions, please contact Shereen Semple, Vectorborne Disease Coordinator, at (609) 826-5964 or shereen.semple@doh.state.nj.us.  You can also find more information at http://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/westnile/enceph.htm.

Very truly yours,

William G. Dressel, Jr.
Executive Director