1. West Nile Virus Siara Rolling Hills 2006

2. Many birds are killed by West Nile Virus. It was first discovered in 1999 in the western hemisphere.

3. A virus is weird because they blur the distinction ( it means making a difference) between things that are alive and things that are not. Virus cannot use energy to make their own proteins and reproduced themselves. It spreads person to person by mosquitoes.

4. West Nile Virus can rapidly spread across North America affecting thousand of animals and birds, even humans. It infects more than 300 different species of birds, mammals, and reptiles. Many songbirds and birds of prey have been reduced in population as a result of this new disease. Among mammals, almost 30 species (even humans) are known to have been infected.

5. Mosquitoes become infected and transmit West Nile Virus to humans or other animals when they bite them.

6. I wish West Nile Virus didn't exist so the animals could still live safely.

7. Bibliography 1.West Nile Virus; U.S. Department of the Interior; Feb. 6, 2006; www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/west_nile_virus www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/west_nile_virus 2. Audubon West Nile Virus; National Audubon Society, Inc; June 16, 2005; www.Audubon.org/bird/wnv/www.Audubon.org/bird/wnv/ 3. West Nile Virus Facts; Maryland Department of Health; March 22, 2006; www.edcp.org/factsheetwnv_ fact.htmlwww.edcp.org/factsheetwnv_ fact.html 4. West Nile Virus; U.S. Department of the Interior; May 16, 2003; www.westnilemaps.usgs.gov/2002/index.htm/www.westnilemaps.usgs.gov/2002/index.htm/