West Nile could be widespread this summer
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[So far, this summer is shaping up to hold a strong possibility for West Nile virus-carrying culex mosquitoes.
There has been plenty of moisture and plenty of heat. With a few days free of rain, water collected in any artificial basins will become a stagnant, incubating hot tub for mosquito larvae, those little wriggling worm-like creatures.
The more mosquito larvae, the greater the chance there will be mosquitoes hovering around that property in a matter of days, biting and with the potential of carrying West Nile virus.
Egyptian Public and Mental Health Department located at least one West Nile-infected mosquito in Shawneetown June 4, the first infected batch of mosquitoes capture of the year for the state. That is early. West Nile historically shows up in Southern Illinois mid- to late-July, the department's Director of Environmental Health Jamie Byrd said.
Mild cases of West Nile infections may cause a slight fever or headache. More severe infections are marked by rapid onset of high fever with head and body aches, disorientation, tremors, convulsions and, in most severe cases, paralysis or death.
Usually symptoms occur from three to 15 days after the bite of an infected mosquito although most people with the virus have no clinical symptoms of illness. Persons at the highest risk for serious illness are those 50 years of age or older.
Mosquitoes are in out in great quantities this year.
"Last week I tested 100, but trapped about 400," department Environmental Health Practitioner Cindy Wise said.
It has been a wet spring and was a hot May, conditions uncomfortable for humans and perfect for mosquitoes.
The department sets up traps involving a basin of rotting and smelly alfalfa pellets and water and a fan that sucks mosquitoes into a net. Crews test municipalities in Saline, Gallatin and White counties on a rotating basis.
Saline County has not showed signs of the virus for the last two years. Shawneetown has harbored West Nile-infected mosquitoes each summer for several years.
The mosquitoes found in the traps are localized. Culex mosquitoes do not typically travel beyond a mile from where they hatched.
The department also wants calls to (618) 273-3326 from anyone who spots a freshly dead bird that has no obvious cause of death, a good indicator of possible West Nile.
The best thing people can do to help prevent the disease-carrying mosquitoes is empty artificial containers and clean gutters to eradicate breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
"If you drive around every artificial container you see is a breeding ground for thousands of mosquitoes," Byrd said.
Wise said mosquitoes often find plugged gutters, children's toys, bird baths and especially old tires great places to reproduce.
Byrd said he believes people are getting the idea and making a conscious effort to pour out stagnant water and that city workers are helping greatly with larvacide treatment of sewers, spraying and enforcing ordinances against abandoned swimming pools.
The Illinois Department of Health offers the following tips for avoiding West Nile virus:
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Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially at dawn, dusk or early evening.</li>
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When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt and apply insect repellent that includes 10-percent to 25-percent DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR 3535 according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants and young children.</li>
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Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night.</li>
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Eliminate all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding, including water in bird baths, buckets, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles that hold water.</li>
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Mosquitoes can develop in any standing water that is present for more than five days.</li>
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Keep your grass cut short and shrubbery well trimmed around the house to prevent mosquitoes from hiding there.</li>
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Additional information about West Nile virus can be found on the Illinois Department of Public Health's Web site at www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnv.htm
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DeNeal receives e-mail at bdeneal@yourclearwave.com.</li>
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