About 14 abatement agencies picked up a total 450 of the chickens in Provo. Health officials will soon begin testing them for West Nile Virus as the first indicators of where infected mosquitos are most prevalent, said Lance Madigan, public information officer with the Utah County Department of Health.

"The chickens are very valuable stationary birds," said Gary Hatch, manager of the Davis County Mosquito Abatement District. "We know when and where they were bitten and it gives us a good indication of the area it occurred."

Officials are unsure where infected mosquitos will be the most concentrated this summer. Although last year was drier than normal, this year has been much wetter providing condition for mosquitos to breed in. Because Mosquitos can fly up to 15 miles, this year's cases could pop up just about anywhere, Madigan said.

The chickens will be tested within the next week to make sure they are free of the virus and will begin undergoing weekly testing in about five weeks. If the virus is detected, health officials will notify the public, set up traps to capture mosquitos and begin spraying poisons in that area.

Most humans who become infected never show symptoms. But the virus can cause flu-like symptoms and on a rare occasion, life-threatening conditions like a coma, seizures or blindness.

Although several counties had no reports of human West Nile Virus infections last year, counties close to the Great Salt Lake reported the highest numbers. According to the Utah Department of Health, out of 68 total cases statewide, Salt Lake county had 28, Cache county had 11, Davis county 5 and Box Elder county had 8.