West Nile season upon us
Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News
Published June 12, 2006 at midnight
It's time again to spray on mosquito repellent to prevent the sometimes deadly West Nile Virus.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says it's also important to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds by ridding the yard of standing water, even in small amounts.
No one knows what kind of West Nile season to expect, but few experts predict a return of 2003, when Colorado led the nation in deaths with 63. Still, West Nile is here to stay, said state epidemiologist John Pape.
Blood from two donors this year initially tested positive for West Nile, though those two samples will be retested to confirm. Contaminated blood will be destroyed.
Female Culex mosquitoes can pass the virus to humans when they bite an arm or leg for a blood meal, which is necessary before mosquitoes can lay eggs.
Typically, the virus is passed back and forth between birds and mosquitoes, ramping up its strength before it enters a human's system with enough power to cause illness.
Most deaths are in the senior population, but in 2003 several young people suffered permanent brain damage in the form of encephalitis.
Pape recommends changing the water in a bird bath at least weekly and repairing torn window and door screens. Also, avoid gardening and other outdoor activities at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are active.
Use approved mosquito repellents containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Surveillance of birds and mosquitoes that began May 1 has found no dead birds positive for West Nile, and the positive rate for mosquitoes remains very low, Pape said.
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