Community Corner
Is West Nile Virus Coming to Hartford County?
Connecticut saw its most severe West Nile virus season in 2012, but fortunately, state officials have not yet found evidence of the virus in local mosquitoes as of June 12.
By Jayme Kunze
The West Nile virus season is ramping up in Connecticut, but so far, state officials say that the news has been good.
Dr. Theodore Andreadis, the chief medical entomologist of the state's mosquito trapping and testing program, said that as of June 12, no signs of the West Nile virus have turned up at the 91 testing locations spread across the state."The weather, with lots of heavy rain, is keeping the mosquito population low," Andreadis explained. "A lot of mosquitoes develop in storm drains and catch basins, and the heavy rain is flushing them out."
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ed in bird populations, notably inCentral Michigan. “Certain types of birds serve as a reservoir for West Nile Virus,” Kuhn said. An infected bird can pass the virus along to an uninfected mosquito when bitten. That’s whyWisconsin has launched a hotline for people to report dead birds in the area.
Many states have begun testing mosquitoes for West Nile, withPennsylvania, Illinois and California all reporting positive detection in certain counties. After the virus was detected in California, LA County began overnight aerial spraying to stop the spread. Residents are cautioned to remain indoors during the spraying.
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Prevention and Symptoms
The CDC recommends using an EPA-certified mosquito repellant if you’re going to be outdoors, and lists some additional prevention tips on their website, including:
When weather permits, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants outdoors.
Place mosquito netting over infant carriers when you are outdoors.
At least once or twice a week, empty water from flower pots, pet food and water dishes, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels, and cans.
With the 2012 mosquito season was the highest on record, health officials are cautioning people to take immediate action if you believe you’ve been infected. The CDC website lists varying degrees of symptoms, including:
Serious Symptoms in a Few People. About one in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness, including high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, and paralysis.
Milder Symptoms in Some People. Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected have symptoms such as fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back.
No Symptoms in Most People. Approximately 80 percent of people infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all.
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