Delaware Is Using Chickens to Track West Nile Virus — and the Old-School System Works
- Long before a person arrives at a hospital with West Nile virus, a small flock of chickens in Delaware may already have alerted health officials that infected mosquitoes are circulating nearby.
- They are known as sentinel chickens, and their job is not complicated.
- The birds live outdoors in fixed locations, get bitten by the same mosquitoes that are active around nearby communities and undergo regular blood testing.
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- Long before a person arrives at a hospital with West Nile virus, a small flock of chickens in Delaware may already have alerted health officials that infected mosquitoes are circulating nearby.
- They are known as sentinel chickens, and their job is not complicated.
- The birds live outdoors in fixed locations, get bitten by the same mosquitoes that are active around nearby communities and undergo regular blood testing.
Sources: Incitenews