"The problem of mosquitoes and West Nile Virus has escalated this year in Georgia, as well as the rest of the country, with the virus causing more serious central nervous system involvement than in past years," said Northwest Georgia Public Health's Dr. Wade Sellers. "Preventing mosquitoes from breeding near where you live or work and protecting yourself from mosquito bites are the best ways to avoid West Nile Virus. It's very important for people to do both."
On July 6, a 52 year old Chatham County female became ill and tested positive for WNV. Four days later, an 85 year old Glynn County man also became ill. Samples associated with his case are now undergoing testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) along with the Georgia Public Health Lab (GPHL).
About 25 WNV-positive mosquito pools have been identified in the metro Atlanta area and about 90 in coastal Georgia. This means these areas are at high risk. "We do not conduct mosquito surveillance in any of our 10 northwest Georgia counties," says Northwest Georgia Public Health spokesman Logan Boss. "We assume West Nile is endemic in our mosquito population, that we are all at high risk during mosquito season and encourage people to take appropriate preventative measures accordingly."
Usually Georgia sees its first WNV case in June or July, Boss said. "West Nile season typically peaks for us in August, sometimes September, and the threat isn't over until the first hard freeze kills the mosquitoes."
Since WNV was first recognized in Georgia in 2001, 240 cases have been confirmed statewide leading to 17 deaths. Just 10 of those cases -- and no deaths -- have been in northwest Georgia: Bartow 1, Catoosa 1, Floyd 2, Paulding 1, Polk 2 and Walker 3.
To protect against WNV, Boss urges residents to prevent water from standing in containers and to take other precautions:
- Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks when outdoors, especially at dawn and dusk, to reduce the amount of exposed skin
- Consider using insect repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or PMD. DEET offers protection against mosquito bites up to 5 hours depending on how much DEET is in the product. Picaridin also provides relief from mosquito bites. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label.
- Set up outdoor fans to keep mosquitoes from flying near you
Symptoms of WNV include headache, fever, neck discomfort, muscle and joint aches, swollen lymph nodes and a rash that usually develop three to 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The elderly, those with compromised immune systems or those with other underlying conditions are at greater risk for complications from the disease.
Of those who become infected with WNV, most will fight off the virus without any symptoms or will develop less severe West Nile fever. But about one in 150 people bitten by infected mosquitoes will develop encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord). Approximately 10 percent of people with a severe form of WNV infection die from their illness, and others suffer from long-term nervous system problems.
Mosquitoes need water to breed. Removing areas of standing water can eliminate breeding grounds and reduce the number of mosquitoes. The following precautionary measures are recommended to reduce exposure to mosquitoes and risk of WNV:
- Properly dispose of old tires. Regularly empty any metal cans, ceramic flowerpots, bottles, jars, buckets and other water-holding containers on your property.
- Turn over plastic wading pools, outdoor toys and wheelbarrows when not in use.
- Keep swimming pools clean and properly chlorinated. Remove standing water from pool covers.
- Repair leaky pipes and outside faucets.
- Keep gutters cleared and sloped to the downspout.
- Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers that are left outdoors.
- Make sure windows and screens are in good condition. Repair any holes in screens.
- Purchase and use Mosquito Dunks or Mosquito Torpedoes (larvicides used to kill mosquito larvae) to control mosquitoes in areas with standing water and in containers that cannot be dumped.
People with questions about WNV should call their county health department's environmental health office.
More information on WNV can be found at the CDC's site:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
Further information on repellents is also available from the CDC: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/RepellentUpdates.htm
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