GenoMed Inc. (GMED)

[flicker]

Another Article;

I found this in the 'Pueblo Chieftain'(Pueblo Colorado is the largest city in Southern Colorado). The GMED news is at the end.

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Recent warm weather brings early West Nile virus threat
By KAREN VIGIL
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
Mosquitoes are emerging early this year, prompting local health officials to advise people to protect themselves with insect repellent containing DEET and to rid their property of standing water that promotes mosquito breeding grounds.

The unseasonably warm weather in recent weeks has brought mosquitoes out of hibernation early, said spokeswoman Sarah Bruestle of the Pueblo City-County Health Department.

That has caused local health officials to move up their mosquito reduction efforts, Bruestle added.

Tests of puddle water in the Pueblo area have detected mosquito larvae in the second and third stage of development, which means Culex mosquitoes soon could be flying, according to Bruestle.

The weather forecast calls for 70-degree weather throughout the week, which increases the need for concern, Bruestle said.

"If we have the next couple of days with weather of 70 degrees, that's when we need to be cautious. The warm standing water promotes breeding grounds for mosquitoes. We are actively larviciding and we are working with the public works division, and soon will be putting larvicide in storm sewers.

"We had everything scheduled to begin in May, but seeing that we are already finding mosquitoes, we are moving our prevention (efforts) up a couple of weeks," she said.

David Daigle of the National Center for Infectious Diseases in Atlanta said people need to use repellent, wear long-sleeve clothing and remove standing water as soon as mosquitoes appear and the virus is spotted.

"As soon as you get the vectors (positive animal test results), as well as the mosquitoes, people ought to be taking steps to protect themselves," Daigle said.

Statewide, the Colorado Health Department's animal disease expert John Pape said mosquito-pool and horse-serum tests have shown to be negative to date.

Elsewhere, West Nile cases in animals already have been confirmed this year in California, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and New York, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last week, the first probable human case of 2004 in the United States - a 79-year-old from Scioto, Ohio, who fell into a coma two weeks ago due to viral encephalitis - was the subject of health officials' talks as they advised people to rid their properties of standing water.

In Arizona, temperatures also have been unseasonably hot, climbing into the mid-90s two weeks ago and almost 90 on Monday, said spokesman Kristopher Weiss of the Arizona Health Department.

In a related item, GenoMed Inc. announced that the 79-year-old Ohio man was able to move his fingers and toes within 24 hours of starting GenoMed's patent-pending drug for West Nile virus encephalitis. The company is conducting a free nationwide clinical trial for West Nile virus this summer.

WEST NILE VIRUS
Upcoming Informational meetings:

- Pueblo City-County Health Department will host two informational meetings about West Nile virus prevention. One session, for parks and companies who employ outdoor workers, is scheduled from 10 to 11:30 a.m. April 20 at City Hall's council chambers.

- A second meeting, for the general public, will be offered from 7 to 8:30 p.m. May 19 at Robert Hoag Rawlings Public Library's large meeting room.

ON THE NET:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid.westnile/prevention_info.htm

GeoMed Inc.: http://www.geomedics.com