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Article: FRONTLINE FEATHERS BIRDS HELP TRACK VIRAL DISEASE MIGRATION.(News)
- Article from:
- Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
- Article date:
- June 24, 2002
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Daily News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer
ENCINO - A tiny house finch squirms in Jacqueline Spoehel's hands as she draws blood from its jugular.
It may not be a good day for the finch, but like many species of birds, it can - with a bit of its blood - help scientists trace the migration of a potentially deadly disease health officials say is spreading west: West Nile virus.
``This will indicate if the virus is circulating in the bird population,'' said Paul O'Connor, who recently assisted Spoehel by placing a couple of drops of bird's blood in a tube.
Spoehel and O'Connor, both ecologists for the county Vector Control District's Sylmar branch, ...