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West Nile Virus precautions

With the rain and hail we’ve seen this past week, there’s been plenty of standing water, which provides a breeding ground for perhaps the most annoying of the summer insects, mosquitoes. Aside from creating a bite that will leave you scratching for a couple days, mosquitoes are known for carrying dangerous diseases such as West Nile Virus (WNV) and Zika.

According to information from Kim Deti, a public information officer with the Wyoming Department of Health, there have been no reports yet received of cases of WNV in Wyoming this year. Also, she noted, it remains true that mosquitoes that carry Zika do not like Wyoming’s weather so they are not a concern here.

Katie Bryan, a Wyoming Department of Health epidemiologist, said mosquitos spread WNV when they feed on infected birds and then bite people, animals and other birds.

“Most people infected with West Nile virus do not realize it,” Bryan said. Among those who become ill, symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, skin rash and swollen lymph nodes. A very small percentage of those infected develop West Nile neuroinvasive disease with symptoms such as severe headache, fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions and paralysis.

Since WNV first appeared in Wyoming in 2002, reported human cases each year have ranged from two with no deaths in one year to 393 and nine deaths in another. In 2017, seven WNV cases were reported to WDH.

The “5 D’s” of WNV prevention include:

•DAWN and DUSK — Mosquitos that spread WNV prefer to feed at dawn or dusk, so avoid spending time outside during these times.

•DRESS — Wear shoes, socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt outdoors. Clothing should be light-colored and made of tightly woven materials.

•DRAIN — Mosquitos breed in shallow, stagnant water. Reduce the amount of standing water by draining and/or removing.

•DEET — Use an insect repellent containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide). When using DEET, be sure to read and follow label instructions. Other insect repellents such as Picaridin (KBR 3023) or oil of lemon eucalyptus can also be effective.

 

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