WASHINGTON: The US Food and Drug Administration said yesterday it had approved the first test for doctors to give to patients suspected to have West Nile virus.

The test, made by Australian medical diagnostics company Panbio Ltd, can find antibodies of the virus in people who have severe symptoms, such as meningitis or encephalitis.

West Nile has now spread to virtually the entire United States and parts of Canada, carried by birds. Mosquitoes that bite infected birds and then bite people can transmit the virus.

The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday reported the first West Nile case in a person for 2003 in South Carolina.

Most patients infected with the virus have no symptoms or mild, flu-like illness, but in the weak or elderly it can cause damaging and even fatal encephalitis.

"This test provides a useful tool to combat the important public health problem of West Nile virus infection, just in time for the start of the West Nile season," FDA director Dr Mark McClellan said in a statement.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said having the test available may help keep the virus more under control, although there are no hopes of eradicating it.

"When industry and government collaborate closely to meet a public health need, the resulting new technology will strengthen our joint efforts to confront diseases earlier and should lower rates of infection."

(China Daily 07/11/2003 page9)