Draft 3,The Dangers of the West Nile Virus in Ohio and on Western Campus

This topic submitted by Whitney Shuttleworth, Amber Ashe, Kyle Perry, Shaina Brock (carrotop68@netscape.net, asheal@muohio.edu, perrykm@muohio.edu, shainabrock@yahoo.com) at 9:42 AM on 10/17/02. Additions were last made on Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Section: Nicholson

Natural Systems 1 Fall, 2002 -Western Program-Miami University

The Probability of the West Nile Virus in Ohio and on Western Campus
Complete Lab Teaching Packet

1. Introduction
The purpose of this lab is to configure ratios involving insects found in a light fixture to the amount of mosquitoes found and to ultimately determine if the light bulbs are attracting a high number of mosquitoes, therefore increasing the possibilities of the West Nile Virus infecting a person in Peabody through the mosquitoes. Our hypothesis is that if the number of mosquitoes found makes up a large percent of total insects found in the light fixture, there is a definite problem cause by the attraction of the mosquitoes to the light bulb intensity.
This project was determined as being the one to most adequately and efficiently work with our given specimen to best fit our research on the West Nile virus. The specific question was chosen for the purpose of determining the actual wide spread susceptibility to the virus at a small scale in order to better envision its dangers and seriousness across the United States and Ohio.
Our set goal is to determine whether or not the species of mosquitoes that distribute West Nile are prevalent in Peabody, and even this area in general (and are highly attracted to the light bulbs). A possible outcome if this is the case would be to essentially scare the university into changing the light bulb types.
This experiment is relevant because it narrows down the hypotheses of our experiment into a very minute series of details. This research is interesting because people will probably be surprised by the number of mosquitoes and insects in general that have accumulated in one light fixture over a three month span of time.

2. Relevance of the Research Question
The little research of West Nile Virus that has been completed is not well-documented. This is due to the fact that West Nile has just recently became an enormous problem for the United States. Our group plans to use relatively new sources for a research, mostly because the West Nile virus is a recent epidemic to the United States.
It is very easy to see to see how our research question is relevant in todayÕs scientific world. West Nile is a recent occurrence and there is little documented research (journals, books, ect.) By researching the effect and probability of the virus in a small area (Peabody Hall) we can assume the same results apply to a larger area (all the other lights on campus). Our project deals greatly with public health: Is the virus something to worry about, are there more preventive methods that could be taken, are the lights truly attracting an unsafe number of mosquitoes? These are all questions that are very relevant to the idea of public health and safety and to our research project.

3. Materials and Methods
For our experiment, we will be examining insects found in a light fixture in Peabody Hall. The last time these light fixtures were cleaned was three months ago, so there will be plenty of insects for everyone. Each group will be given a random amount of insects from the light fixture. Since our groupÕs main focus is on the West Nile Virus, for our lab, each group will be looking for mosquitoes. We will also be looking at the
sizes of the bugs found in the light fixture. All groups will have masks, so as not to breathe in any of the dust or insects as well as to prevent anyone from sneezing on the insects. Gloves will also be worn for sanitary purposes. Although there is no scientific evidence that says you can get the West Nile Virus from a dead mosquito, we want all the groups to be safe. Toothpicks will also be used to prevent too much actual contact with the insects. The groups will then sort the bugs, finding:

1. Mosquitoes
2. Big Bugs
3. Little Bugs

After tallying the insects by the 3 categories, these insects will then be
funneled into vials. All of the groups will then collect each otherÕs
data and use to Stat view to find the following: the average size of mosquitoes in comparison to other insects and the frequency of mosquitoes in the research sample.
We are doing this because we want to find out what kind of insects the light attracts. If we find that the light attracts a lot of mosquitoes, then we can suggest to the University that a different type of light should be considered. Our group is not focusing on the layers because it seemed that then there would just be too much data and our experiment
would quickly become too complicated.
The experimental design is statistically sound and since weÕre using Stat view, the only possible errors are likely to be human ones. These errors should be very limited though, because we are only counting insects so it should not be too hard. Dr. Nicholson helped us plan out most of the statistical part of our experiment. Our results should come out unbiased because we are giving random samples to each group. All of the insects that are going to be counted came from the same light fixture in the same dorm. This is so that there are no discrepancies in the collection of the bugs. The groups will then be given an amount of insects, which they will be told, to sort through. While each group may have their own sorting techniques, the final outcome should ultimately be consistent. If an experiment did not have consistent data collection methods then the outcome would be greatly affected and results would be skewed. The most important material for our experiment will be the insects themselves. They were found while cleaning a light fixture in Peabody Hall that had not been cleaned for three months.
While categorizing the insects, groups will be wearing both protective masks and protective gloves. These safety precautions are to keep our groups from being overexposed to the insects that we are categorizing. Toothpicks used to help sort will also keep exposure at a minimum. The insects will be funneled, using paper into vials used to keep the insects in different categories. Stat view will also be used in order to find out statistical values of our findings. The class is participating by helping sort through the insects. The class will also be asked to process data using Stat view, combining their
data with the data from the other groups. Each group will find: The number of mosquitoes in each sample, the number of other insects, and a size comparison between the organisms.
A Data sheet has not yet been created, although one that we had in mind
may be similar to the Shannon-Weiner Index. Our data sheet will depend greatly on the type of information we receive from the class, as well as how we decide to relate it to further research of the West Nile Virus.
The student research will only take one day to complete. This is do to the efficient of the research structure and the fact that we have some many students helping us compile data. After the student participation it will be up to our research group to configure data and decide how it will help use in a research and concluding results.

4. Results (Will be included in the final report).

5. Discussion and Conclusions (Will be included in final report).

6. Literature Cited

1. Bonfield, Tim. Two May be Ohio's First with West
Nile. The Cincinnati Enquierer 15 August 2002. 24
September 2002.
< TITLE="http://enquirer.com/editions/2002/08/15/loc_west_nile.html>" TARGET="_blank">http://enquirer.com/editions/2002/08/15/loc_west_nile.html

2. Death Total from Nile virus rises to 27. Chicago
Tribune 24 September 2002. 24 September 2002.
0209240288sep24.story?null>

3. Schlesinger, William H. Warming up to disaster,
West Nile Virus is only a wake-up call. Chicago
Tribune 22 September 2002. 24 September 2002.
0209220069sep22.story>

4. Texas Department of Health. Zoonosis control
division. Updated 17 September 2002. 26 September
2002. "TARGET="_blank">http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/zoonosis/diseases/Arboviral /westNile/default.asp>

5. United States. General Accounting Office. West Nile virus outbreak : lessons for public health preparedness : report to congressional requesters / United States General Accounting Office Imprint Washington, D.C. (P.O. Box 37050, Washington 20013) :The Office, [2000]

6. Interview with naturalist at Hueston Woods. More information to come.

7. CDC. West Nile Virus 25 September 2002. 26 September 2002. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm

8. Ohio Department of Health. Zoonosis Diseases, West Nile Virus 17 October 2001. 26 September 2002. "

9. The West Nile virus: its recent emergence in North America
Microbes and Infection Volume: 3, Issue: 3, March, 2001. pp. 223-229.
Garmendia, Antonio E.; Van Kruiningen, Herbert J.; French, Richard A.

10. West Nile virus in the USA„an update The Lancet Infectious Diseases Volume: 1, Issue: 3, October 1, 2001. pp. 143. Carlson, Robert H

11. West Nile virus reaches Canada
Trends in Microbiology Volume: 9, Issue: 10, October 1, 2001. pp. 469.
Venter, Alexandra

12. Susceptibility to West Nile virus could be genetically determined
The Lancet Volume: 360, Issue: 333, August 24, 2002. pp. 624.
Lawrence, David

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