West Preparing For Return Of West Nile (Virus)

AP/Yahoo ^ | 4-24-2004 | Dan D' Ambrosio

[blam]

West Preparing for Return of West Nile

By DAN D'AMBROSIO, Associated Press Writer

DELTA, Colo. - Insects are shaking off the winter cold in the West, promising another season of the West Nile virus, the mosquito-borne killer that has infected thousands of people — killing 564 of them — since the first domestic case turned up in New York in 1999.

For two-thirds of the country, the crisis has largely passed. But in the West, health officials are drawing up battle plans from the apple orchards of western Colorado to the California coast.

Carried by birds bitten by infected mosquitos, the incurable virus hasn't yet hit the West hard, except in Colorado. But few states are waiting.

Wyoming has earmarked $1.7 million for mosquito-control programs, up from $387,000 last year. Arizona officials have doubled their budget.

California mosquito districts began work earlier than usual this year and in expanded areas. Sentinel flocks of chickens — which can be easily tested for infection to determine the virus' spread — were tested through the winter and the virus was found for the first time in Ventura County earlier this year.

On the western slopes of the Rockies, there is a fear that Colorado could again be ground zero after leading the nation last year with 2,947 of 9,858 overall cases — and 61 of the year's 262 deaths.

Keith Lucy, an environmental health officer in this western Colorado town, and mosquito control officer Jim Terrazas, recently inspected a marsh behind a park popular with the locals for picnics and fishing. Half the marsh is owned by a man who doesn't want mosquito control officers on his land. The owner of the other half, however, has given his consent for the use of larvicide, which kills soon-to-be mosquitos.

That places Terrazas in a dilemma. What good does it do to treat only half the water?

"It's a waste of taxpayer money," he said.

Lucy moves on to the Escalante State Wildlife Area along the Gunnison River, where officials would like to flood the banks to help two endangered species of fish spawn. That raises the possibility of more standing water — prime breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Not only that, wildlife area manager Mike Zeman won't allow adulticide — a pesticide designed to kill adult mosquitoes that is often spread as clouds of machine-generated fog — on the 7,500-acre refuge.

"Fogging is non-selective," he said. "You're hitting all kinds of insects and we have all kinds of birds who feed on those insects."

Lucy looks a little stunned. "The thing here is their primary focus is on wildlife habitat, but mosquitoes breed here and they don't stay here," he said.

Killing adult mosquitoes also can mean spraying with Malathion, a toxic chemical known to cause illness and genetic mutations.

Last year, residents of nearby Paonia protested a plan to spray the chemical and someone bombed a warehouse where Malathion was stored. No one was injured.

"It was a not so subtle message that this is not the way you want to control mosquitos here," Lucy said. "That's the dilemma we're in."

Lucy and his colleagues also are constrained by a budget of just $25,000.

"You get as much public health as you want to buy," said Bonnie Koehler, the deputy director of the Delta County health department. "If you want to give me a hundred thousand dollars, I can give you the George Lucas mosquito control plan the likes of which you have never seen."

Fifty miles away in Grand Junction, crews will soon begin dropping cork-shaped larvicide "briquettes" through more than 3,000 city storm grates. They'll have to revisit the drains every month through October. Larvicide also will be spread in city ponds, practice fields and parks where watering creates pools of water, golf course ponds, and pastures and farmland.

Steve DeFeyter, the Mesa County environmental health director, will trap mosquitoes and sample catch basins in Grand Junction for larvae to determine how well the war is going.

He also has laid the groundwork for an adulticide campaign, if necessary.

"Nobody wants to get into that because it raises such controversy," DeFeyter said. "But if it gets to a public health emergency, then it's the only option you have left to protect the public health."

[blam]

Mosquito eggs can survive dessicated (dried out) for ten years.

[Mr. Mojo]

Last summer it was supposed to hit very hard where I live (in Western Washinton), but it turned out to be a relatively mosquito-free year, and thankfully no one got the virus.

[Mr. Mojo]

no one got the virus.

I should've said "few"

[Believe_In_The_Singularity]

This is the best defense there is. If at least 1 person on every block owned one, we would eradicate mosquitoes.

And don't buy a knock-off. The original is the only one that works.

BITS

[Ditter]

Why does the article say that for 2/3 of the country the crisis has largely past? I thought WNV was here to stay.

[Ditter]

Mosquito Magnets are very helpful in cutting down the numbers of mosquitos. I have 2 of them. My son bought an off brand & it did not work.

[blam]

Mosquito Magnet

The Mosquito Magnet® mimics a large mammal by emitting a plume of carbon dioxide (CO 2), heat and moisture, which when combined with an additional attractant, octenol , is irresistible to female mosquitoes (the ones that bite), no-see-ums, biting midges, black flies , and sandflies."

No-See-Ums are midges. I have them worse than mosquitoes.

[Burkeman1]

I wonder how many have to die before we bring back DDT spraying and stop these unnecessary deaths? It is a crime that the UN and the World Bank threaten African countries with loan and aid witholding that want to resume DDT spraying to reduce Malaria and the "sleeping sickness" that were all but wiped out 50 years ago but now claim hundreds of thousands again every year.

This issue should be the number one issue of conservatives against Enviro whackos. This totally unscientific hysterical anti DDT stance has KILLED PEOPLE- MILLIONS most likely.

[blam]

"Why does the article say that for 2/3 of the country the crisis has largely past? I thought WNV was here to stay."

I don't think it has passed, I don't know why it says that. It is here to stay.

[Humidston]

We're surrounded by woods and I think I got WNV last summer. I had a blinding headache for almost two weeks. WNV presents very similarly to spinal meningitis, per my doctor.

It was NOT fun!

[HairOfTheDog]

I was one of the first of my veterinarian's customers to want the vaccine for my horses... Now many are vaccinating here in W. Washington.

So.... how long is the lag time for approval of human vaccines? We've got a horse vaccine that works.

[Ditter]

Have you had any lasting effects from WNV? Did you get a test to see if you really had it? Hopefully you now have an immunity & won't catch it again.

[blam]

"We're surrounded by woods and I think I got WNV last summer. I had a blinding headache for almost two weeks. WNV presents very similarly to spinal meningitis, per my doctor."

Be careful

Doctors Link Polio To West Nile Virus

[sistergoldenhair]

So.... how long is the lag time for approval of human vaccines?

If someone starts today, it will likely take 3-5 years to gain approval.
There are several companies claiming to be ready to start clinical trails.

[Humidston]

No lasting problems that I know of, Ditter. And I didn't have a test done either. Call me lazy, but I never followed through once we got the headache tackled with meds. And my GP didn't seem too concerned either, so I actually forgot about it .

Another neighbor also broke out in a rash all over the trunk of his body. He ended up in the emergency room he was in so much pain from the headache. His test confirmed it.

Oh... and you hear that Bounce laundry sheets repel mosquitos? Well they do work! But they do wear out in about an hour and must be replaced in your beltloop or waistband.

And the immunity question is something I need to take up with my doctor. That would be fantastic! Thanks!

[Humidston]

Thanks for the link, Blam. The Globe doesn't recognize it anymore, so I'm going to do some digging.

And you be careful too! Your area isn't very safe either, is it?

[blam]

"And you be careful too! Your area isn't very safe either, is it?"

No. I live by the bay on a fresh water lake in the woods. I encourage the county spraying guys to come in and spray around the lake often.

[Ditter]

I'm glad you are OK. I live in the woods too. I am VERY allergic to OFF so I am intrested in Bounce. Do you rub it on your skin or what? I have a mosquito proof mesh jacket that is great. If anyone is intrested I will give the info on the jacket.

[Humidston]

Ditter, the Bounce thing is great. We're literally surrounded with heavy woods, and we just take one of those Bounce (no other brand) sheets and tuck it into a belt loop or waistband so that most of it is exposed. You can also use a safety pin to attach it outside your clothes. They seem to hate the smell for about an hour - which buys us additional time to garden, which we love.

And yes, I'd be interested in the jacket source. Is it from TravelSmith? (I just got their catalog.)

[Humidston]

Lucky you! We see the county sprayer about once every 90 days out here. It just gives the bugs a bigger appetite, LOL!