“Since WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito, the authorities are urging residents to take extra cautions to protect themselves,” the announcement read in part. “Such measures include avoiding outdoor activities during the peak mosquito hours of dusk and dawn; wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants and socks; and applying insect repellent while outside.”
Environmental Health and Safety Manager Richard Mears indicated that the College takes additional precautions to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne infection on campus. “The College proactively treats all of our stagnant water sources—retention ponds, storm drains, wet areas—to keep the mosquito population at a minimum on campus,” he said.
Director of Health Services Dr. Warren Morgan explained that, despite media exposure, WNV often presents with few or no symptoms in otherwise healthy patients. “We don’t have any reason to create hysteria or heightened anxiety on campus,” he said. “But we do want people to be aware that this pathogen is out there.”
In most cases, he explained, a patient infected with WNV would have mild flu-like symptoms, if any. “Many will have no symptoms whatsoever, and would never go to the doctor, which is OK,” he said. In patients at higher risk, such as the elderly and those with existing immune system conditions, a WNV infection could lead to meningitis. And while no human cases have yet been confirmed locally, the virus can only spread from mosquitoes directly to humans, not from human to human.
Morgan echoed the precautions outlined in the campus announcements, adding that the Keefe Health Center staff is prepared to treat students with concerns over WNV or any other sickness. “It might not have any serious consequences,” he said, “but there’s always a chance that they could be the person who has an increased susceptibility—I’m talking about probabilities, not absolutes.”
During Orientation, the College faced the prospect of a different public health concern when testing of the public water supply indicated the presence of a trace amount of E. Coli in a sample taken in North Amherst. It was the first such positive test in the town of Amherst. Follow-up testing failed to produce a second positive test, so the water was deemed safe to drink by state and federal standards.
“None of the original water samples that were taken from around the College—including at Valentine Hall—came back positive for either Coliform or E. Coli,” Mears said.
“E. Coli bacteria is prevalent in nature,” Dr. Morgan said. “It’s a marker for possible contamination in the water supply. Generally, though, people don’t get sick from E. Coli contamination in water.” The presence of E. Coli is something of a red flag, suggesting possible contamination of other sorts, such as fecal contamination. Rather than testing for individual pathogens such as Hepatitis A or typhoid, E. Coli is used as a simple indicator of a problem.
Following the initial positive test, the College began to prepare itself for a boil-water warning. All-campus e-mails and an Intranet posting were drafted, signs for water fountains were prepared and printed. Dining Services ordered a large supply of bottled water from Poland Spring. “[We] mobilized our 400-gallon water buffalo—a military-issue trailer used to transport clean drinking water—for use at Valentine Hall and the Alumni Gym,” Mears said. “The Valentine staff was ready to alter their menus, and the custodial and campus police departments and ACEMS were on standby.”
Mears stressed that the primary concern in planning was the health and safety of the campus community. “It would have been a bit of a challenge, but nothing that the college community wouldn’t have been able to handle,” he said. “The bottom line is that safety of our students, faculty and staff is far more important than any inconveniences a boil-water order and the precautions that go along with it would pose.”