West Nile Virus and Mosquito Spraying Update
What is the West Nile Virus?
West Nile encephalitis is an infection of the brain caused by West Nile virus, a flavivirus commonly found in Africa, West Asia and the Middle East. It is closely related to St. Louis encephalitis virus found in the United States.
How do people get West Nile encephalitis?
People become infected when mosquitoes feed on infected birds, which may circulate the virus in their blood for a few days. Infected mosquitoes can then transmit West Nile virus to humans and animals while biting to take blood. The virus is located in the mosquito's salivary glands. During blood feeding, the virus may be injected into the animal or human, where it may multiply, possibly causing illness.
What can be done to prevent outbreaks of West Nile virus?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, human illness from West Nile virus is rare, even in areas where the virus has been reported. The chance that any one person is going to become ill from a mosquito bite is low.
You can further reduce your chances of becoming ill by protecting yourself from mosquito bites. To avoid mosquito bites:
Apply insect repellent containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) to exposed skin whenever you are outdoors.
When possible, wear long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors. Treating clothes with repellents containing permethrin or DEET will give extra protection, since mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing. Do not apply repellents containing permethrin directly to skin. Do not spray repellent containing DEET on the skin under your clothing.
The hours from dusk to dawn are peak mosquito biting times. Consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times - or take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing during evening and early morning.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold water.
Facts Related to Spraying
According to the City of Fort Worth's Health Department, "residents must understand that spraying chemicals in the streets…would not rid the city of mosquitoes. The problem is that in order to kill a mosquito the chemical has to actually make contact with the insect. This may work for a swarm of mosquitoes in a wide-open space with no wind. However, driving a truck down a neighborhood street will do little to kill mosquitoes hiding in grass, bushes, trees and backyards. Residents will still have to deal with mosquitoes. "
"Not only is spraying costly and ineffective, there may be serious environmental impacts caused by chemicals that would be sprayed into neighborhoods."
"While spraying for mosquitoes may provide a short-term response to the nuisance biting of the adults, it does nothing to affect the larva present in standing water sources," says Brian Boerner, Director of Environmental Management for the City of Fort Worth. "Moreover, the spraying of chemicals also has the potential of contaminating our waterways, killing the beneficial fish and organisms that feed on mosquito larva, adding harmful volatile organic chemicals to the atmosphere - a precursor chemical to ozone formation - and providing a potential inhalation or ingestion hazard to residents who are in affected areas shortly after spraying occurs."
Because of the risks posed to humans, animals and the environment by spraying, it is the responsibility of residents to take action against mosquito infestations. According to Dr. Brian Rogers, health authority for the City of Fort Worth, the most effective way to reduce mosquitoes in your neighborhood is to remove their source - standing water. Thousands of mosquitoes can hatch from a puddle of water that is stagnant for at least four days.
Residents should:
*Get rid of old tires, tin cans, bottles, buckets, drums and other containers in your yard or keep them empty of standing water.
*Empty wading pools frequently and store them indoors when not in use.
*Repair leaky pipes and outside faucets.
*Replace your outdoor lights with yellow "bug" lights.
*Change water in birdbaths and scrub them twice a week.
*If you have outside pets, empty their watering dishes daily.
*Clean clogged roof gutters and drain flat roofs.
*Treat standing water that can't be drained with Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), available at most home and garden stores. These briquettes are also available at City Hall (200 South Main) during regular business hours, at the Community Activities Center (1175 South Municipal Way) during operating hours and at the Municipal Service Center (501 Shady Brook) during business hours.
*Make sure window and door screens are "bug tight."
*Whenever possible, remain indoors at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
*When outdoors, wear protective clothing or use insect repellent with the active ingredient DEET to avoid exposure to mosquitoes. Always read instructions before using insect repellent or other chemicals.
What is Grapevine doing?
Grapevine is doing the following:
*Actively and systematically treating standing water in creeks and drainage easements.
*Trapping and testing mosquito's for the West Nile Virus.
*Distributing informational flyers about eradicating the breeding grounds for mosquitos.
*Notifying Home Owner Associations about steps they can take to help with breeding ground control.
Questions? If you have any questions or concerns regarding the mosquito/West Nile virus issue, please call 817-410-3122.
More Information
Center for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
Texas Department of Health http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/arboviral/westNile/default.asp