Update on West Nile virus in Texas

In 2004, West Nile has been detected in five horses in Brazoria, Fort Bend, La Salle, Leon and Montgomery counties and in seven birds in Harris, Lubbock and Montgomery counties. No human cases have been recorded in 2004 in Texas.

TDH recorded 439 human cases of West Nile in 86 Texas counties in 2003, including 38 deaths.

The 38 deaths were in residents of Angelina, Burnet, Cameron, Castro, Cherokee, Crosby, Dallas (4), Denton, Ellis, El Paso (3), Floyd, Hale (2), Harris (3), Hidalgo (2), Hockley, Lubbock (2), Montgomery, Parmer, Randall (3), San Patricio, Smith, Taylor, Travis, Wharton and Wichita (2) counties.

West Nile was detected in humans, birds, mosquitoes or horses in 190 Texas counties in 2003. In 2002 -- the first year West Nile was found in Texas -- the virus was detected in 213 of Texas' 254 counties. There were 202 human cases, including 13 deaths.