First West Nile Virus Mosquito Found In Nebraska
By Klark Byrd <a href="mailto:kbyrd@suntelegraph.com">kbyrd@suntelegraph.com</a>
SIDNEY &#045; Beginning this Sunday, the city will begin biological warfare with an airborne pest known to transmit a deadly disease. If you thought that mosquitoes can&#8217;t hurt you, guess again. The first mosquito in Nebraska to test positive for West Nile Virus has been confirmed from Dawes County.
That&#8217;s the word from the Panhandle Public Health District. Environmental Health Coordinator Rebecca Thompson said a report of a positive mosquito test is significant because it shows that the virus is present in the Panhandle.
In 2007, four Nebraskans died of West Nile Virus infection. There were a reported 179 human cases of the disease confirmed. Of those cases, 16 were from blood donors and 163 from individuals reporting symptoms. 2007 was the fourth most severe year for West Nile Virus in Nebraska, with the worst year being 2003. Nebraska was ranked seventh last year in the nation for total number of cases.
&#8220;It is imperative that people are taking the necessary precautions to prevent mosquito bites,&#8221; Thompson said. &#8220;No matter what area of the state you live in, it only takes one bite to infect you.&#8221;
The city has been doing its part to fight back the flying menace since the Sidney Parks Department first laid Altosid briquettes in pools of standing water.
Standing water is the No. 1 breeding ground for mosquitoes and using the Altosid briquettes helps reduce the number of larva that survive to become adult mosquitoes.
While the city has no chance of killing all larva, the numbers are reduced enough that neighborhood spraying with ANVIL 2+2 on a weekly basis further reduces the chance that a Sidney resident has of contracting West Nile Virus.
ANVIL 2+2 is a premixed pesticide containing sumithrin and piperonyl butoxide. According to Sidney Public Services Director John Hehnke, sumithrin is a man-made version of a natural pesticide found in chrysanthemum flowers.
The pesticide is turned into a fine mist using ultra-low volume spraying equipment. The equipment is rather noisy, Hehnke warns.
Spraying is set to begin July 20 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. and continue every Sunday into early September. If you do not want spraying to occur near your house, Hehnke said a quick phone call to the city offices will make sure your block ends up on the Do Not Spray list.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services tests mosquitoes and birds to determine the level of the virus in the state. With the assistance of local health departments, NHHSS is collecting and testing blue jays, crows, magpies, hawks and owls &#045; the birds most likely to be affected by the virus. To report a dead bird, please contact the local health department, Panhandle Public Health District at 308-487-3600 or call toll free at 866-701-7173.
Mosquitoes transmit West Nile Virus to humans through a bite after it has feed on an infected bird.
To avoid mosquito bites, Thompson recommends:
<li>Applying mosquito repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
<li>Wearing a long-sleeved shirt, pants and socks.
<li>Avoiding going out at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
<li>Eliminate standing water to reduce mosquito breeding sites.
Most people infected by a mosquito show no symptoms or only mild, flu-like symptoms. Less than one out of 150 people who get bitten by an infected mosquito and become infected with West Nile Virus will get seriously ill. However, people over 50 and those with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to the disease and are more likely to experience serious consequences.
West Nile fever includes flu-like symptoms such as fever and muscle weakness. Other symptoms may involve nausea, vomiting, swollen lymph glands, and/or a skin rash on the chest, stomach or back. Symptoms of the more serious West Nile encephalitis include inflammation of the brain, disorientation, convulsions and paralysis.