Bev Davis
Walk into your local health department these days, and they’re likely to tell you to “bug off.”
They mean it.
The Fayette County Health Department will even give you a can of insect repellent.
“We had 1,500 cans, and we’re giving them out at health fairs, immunization clinics and to people who come in to our center,” registered nurse Nora Smith said.
Mosquito-transmitted illnesses are now in peak season through October, when heavy frosts lower the twin threats of LaCrosse encephalitis for children up to the age of 16 and West Nile virus for adults over 50.
“They’re caused by different kinds of mosquitoes, so we’re trying to increase our public awareness campaign to reach both age groups,” Smith said.
LaCrosse encephalitis, a viral infection of the brain, is carried by the treehole mosquito.
The West Nile virus is carried by birds infected by the bite of the Aedes albopictus mosquito.
Mosquitoes look for stagnant water in which to breed. Any container, no matter how small, can provide a mosquito mansion. Thousands can breed in a small amount of water.
Water in outdoor pet bowls and bird baths should be replenished frequently to prevent standing water.
At present, there are six confirmed cases of LaCrosse in Fayette County, Smith said.
“That may not seem like a lot, compared to the number of cases of diabetes and other illnesses, but when you consider the long-term consequences of LaCrosse, it’s a shame to see even one case,” she said. “This is something that’s preventable.”
This year, Raleigh County has reported one confirmed case of LaCrosse and no cases of West Nile, according to Candance Hurd, director of nursing at the Raleigh County Health Department.
“I think education has helped lower the numbers a great deal from seven or eight years ago,” Hurd said. “I think the City of Beckley has also done a lot to help through their clean-up campaigns and helping residents get rid of old tires.”
County health departments throughout the state have taken extra measures to educate the public about the need to prevent mosquito breeding grounds.
Fayette County, for example, used grant money to focus on prevention by giving out free cans of insect repellent.
Raleigh County focused its prevention plan through a billboard and mailing campaign.
Every family living in areas that had a high incidence of LaCrosse received a letter from the health department giving them information about LaCrosse and how to prevent it.
Following these guidelines offers the best safeguards against both illnesses.
- Look at your own yard. Remove flower pots, urns, buckets — any container that has water in it. Water for pets and birds should be changed a couple of times a week to prevent it from becoming stagnant.
- A discarded tire poses a major threat because the inside rim holds water. The design of the rim makes it nearly impossible to completely empty the tire. Either punch holes in the tire so the water will drain, fill it with dirt and use it as a planter or get rid of it.
- Use an applied insecticide containing 30-40 percent DEET. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies have shown that higher concentrations do not work as well as 40 percent. Never apply to infants or to the hands and face of children. Products containing citronella and Avon’s Skin-So-Soft work well on some people.
- Mosquitoes are attracted to dark, dense colors. Wear light-colored clothing to make you look less attractive to these insects and cover up as much skin as possible.
- Should your child develop a high fever, stiff neck, headache, sore throat or other flu-like symptoms that don’t respond to measures that normally relieve these discomforts, consult your health care provider sooner than later.
Similar symptoms in an adult over 50 could indicate West Nile virus.
— E-mail:
bdavis@register-herald.com
