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Jul 6, 2007 3:50 pm US/Eastern
Mosquitos Carrying Triple E Virus Found In Raynham
BOSTON (AP) ―
A mosquito sample collected July 4th in Raynham tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis, the first sign of the virus this year, state health officials said Friday.
There have been no human cases of the disease so far.
Officials said while the virus is appearing earlier than usual, overall mosquito numbers are down for this time of year.
There were five human cases of the virus in 2006, with two deaths. The virus is usually transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. The type of mosquitoes that usually carry the virus is found in freshwater, hardwood swamps, such as those found in southeastern Massachusetts.
Symptoms of the disease range from flu-like illness to inflammation of the brain and coma. About three of every 10 human cases is fatal, health officials say.
"We have had three years of significant EEE activity and are not sure what this year will bring," said Al DeMaria, chief medical officer of the state Department of Health.
DeMaria said the state's surveillance program is in place to provide early warnings of human risk and to serve as a reminder to use common-sense precautions such as wearing long-sleeves and using repellent.
Here are the precautions recommended by state health officials:
Avoid Mosquito Bites
· Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours - The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. Otherwise, take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing.
· Clothing Can Help reduce mosquito bites. Although it may be difficult to do when its hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.
· Apply Insect Repellent when you go outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), or oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied to skin.
Mosquito-Proof Your Home
· Drain Standing Water - Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths frequently.
· Install or Repair Screens - Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all of your windows and doors.
Report Dead Birds
· Dead crows, blue jays or robins may be a sign that WNV, another virus carried by mosquitoes, is circulating among the birds and mosquitoes in an area. Call 1-866-MASS WNV to report a dead bird. By reporting dead birds, you can play an important role in monitoring WNV.
For more information on moquito-borne diseases log onto
www.mass.gov.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
