West Nile Virus Information
For more information on the West Nile Virus and a free brochure, click here.

Mosquito Control Is Key to Fighting West Nile Virus
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as of November 5, 2003, a total of 8,219 cases of West Nile Virus have been reported and 182 deaths have occurred because of the disease.

Communities around the country are taking steps to minimize the impact of West Nile with the implementation of integrated pest management programs that include trapping and surveillance of mosquito populations, larviciding to prevent the development of larval mosquitoes and adulticiding to reduce the adult mosquito population.

Larviciding treatments begin early in the mosquito season, where small amounts of larvicide are added to standing water and other mosquito habitats to prevent new generations of mosquitoes from forming. Mosquitoes can lay between 200-300 eggs at a time, and can reproduce very quickly. By larviciding early in the season, we can prevent hundreds of thousands of mosquitoes by season's end.

Adulticiding treatments begin when mosquito populations are at nuisance levels or indicate the presence of West Nile Virus. Adulticiding applications involve a very small amount of US EPA-registered products distributed in a fine mist.

About West Nile Virus

Symptoms of West Nile Virus are initially similar to the flu, with muscle weakness and disorientation. Though the majority of those infected will have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, in some individuals, West Nile Virus can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and in severe cases, paralysis, coma or death. The disease is most serious - even fatal - in those with compromised immune systems and the elderly.

If at any time you suspect that you may have contracted West Nile Virus, seek medical attention.

What Can Residents Do?

According to Clarke Mosquito Control, our partners in mosquito control, individuals can take the following steps to protect themselves against infection and assist in the fight against West Nile Virus:

If outdoors when mosquitoes are active, dress in light-colored, long-sleeved clothing, long pants and socks when outdoors during prime mosquito hours. Apply mosquito repellent with DEET to clothing and exposed skin in accordance with label directions. Discard any outdoor container that might hold water, or empty water from wading pools and birdbaths once a week. Keep grass cut short and shrubbery well-trimmed around the house so adult mosquitoes will not hide there. Since dead birds (crows, blue jays and raptors) can be the first warning that West Nile Virus is present in the area, report dead birds on your property to your county health department.

For the latest information on West Nile Virus, consult the Center for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov. For questions about your community's mosquito program, contact Clarke Mosquito Control at The Mosquito Hotline at 800.942.2555.

This newsletter article has appeared in several community newsletters nationwide. For information about reprinting this article in your community, please contact Pat Hallahan.