Date: June 6, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
02-91
Contacts: Tom Gibbs, public health advisor, Environmental Health and Safety, 360-236-3060
Jill Hanks, communications office 360-236-4079

State begins mosquito surveillance in preparation for arrival of West Nile Virus in Washington

Related Link:   West Nile Virus Surveillance in Washington

OLYMPIA -- Mosquito breeding season is here, and this year it's more important than ever to control these pests. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) says some mosquito species carry diseases that may be transmitted to people, and there are ways to reduce breeding habitat and prevent mosquito bites.

West Nile virus (WNV) is continuing to move west across the United States and is expected to reach the west coast within a year or two. At a recent WNV seminar in Seattle, Dr. Lyle R. Peterson of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicted that West Nile could be detected in Washington as early as this summer or next.

Most WNV infections are mild. Symptoms may include fever, headache, body aches, skin rash, and swollen lymph nodes. Severe infections occur in less than one percent of those exposed and may include high fever, nausea, disorientation, muscle weakness and paralysis. In rare cases, it can be fatal. Although no illnesses have been reported in Washington, there are several mosquito species in the state that can carry WNV.

The DOH surveillance project, in cooperation with Public Health-Seattle and King County, identified an Asian mosquito capable of carrying WNV in King County last year. This mosquito species had never before been found west of the Mississippi.

"The best way to avoid mosquito-borne disease, including WNV, is bite prevention and habitat reduction," said Public Health Advisor, Tom Gibbs. "Warmer summer days are the prime breeding season for mosquitoes, so the first step is to eliminate items around the home that attract them."

Mosquitoes reproduce in objects that hold water for several days, such as puddles on tarps and clogged roof gutters. Mosquito exposure can also be reduced by doing things that eliminate breeding areas such as:

• Proper disposal of tin cans and other water-holding containers
• Removal of discarded tires from your property
• Keeping rain gutters clean and operable
• Turning over unused plastic wading pools, wheelbarrows, etc.
• Changing water in birdbaths weekly
• Eliminating standing water on your property, especially around animal watering troughs
• Inspecting basements and crawl spaces. If they are flooded, drain as soon as possible

• Wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts.
• Use mosquito repellents when you are in active mosquito areas.
• Make sure doors and windows are properly screened.
• Stay indoors when mosquitoes are active.

Potential mosquito carriers of WNV, western equine encephalitis and St. Louis encephalitis, have been identified in counties throughout the state. This summer DOH will focus in part on determining the geographic distribution of the new mosquito in Washington. The surveillance project aims to identify mosquito species in the state that can transmit the virus, monitor for the virus in dead birds, and investigate possible cases of WNV in horses and humans. WNV is not spread from person to person and cannot be acquired from dead animals (birds). However, gloves should always be worn when handling any dead animal.

WNV can cause encephalitis in humans and horses, and first appeared in New York in 1999. In 2001, 66 human cases of WNV encephalitis occurred in ten eastern states resulting in nine deaths. The virus has been detected in 27 states as far west as Iowa.

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