For Release: IMMEDIATE
Date: June 21, 2006

Contact:
Debbie Crane (919) 733-9190;
Laura Leonard (919) 715-3204

Environmental Health Experts in WNC: Testing for Mosquito Viruses

RALEIGH – The N.C. Division of Environmental Health (DEH) is at work today in Transylvania County, trapping mosquitoes to see if they are infected with the virus that causes La Crosse encephalitis (LAC). Although no cases of LAC have been reported this year, Transylvania County was the center of an outbreak of the illness last summer. Environmental health experts will spend quite a bit of time in the county this year in an effort to pinpoint the problem and secure basic information that will aid in the control of these viruses.

“Rather than waiting for people to get sick, we would like to find the virus in mosquitoes and prevent the disease by targeting areas where the virus is most common,” said Dr. Bruce Harrison, an entomologist with the division’s Public Health Pest Management section. “We are working with the Transylvania County Health Department to focus education and prevention efforts in the communities that have the biggest potential problem.”

Dr. Harrison is in Transylvania County this week, leading efforts to find the virus in local mosquitoes. He and other division staffers plan repeated visits to the area this summer to better understand the situation.

“Of course, you can do a lot to ensure that your family is protected this summer,” Dr. Harrison said. “Mosquitoes are always looking for water – even a tiny amount – for breeding. Take away that water source, which can be something as innocuous as a small can or discarded tire, and you remove the breeding ground.”

Here’s what you can do to make your home less mosquito-friendly:

• Remove any containers that can hold water; especially old tires,
• Keep gutters clean and in good repair;
• Make sure saucers under potted plants don’t hold water for more than a few days:
• Repair leaky outdoor faucets and change the water in bird baths and pet bowls at least twice a week; and
• Check window and door screens to make sure they’re tight-fitting and in good repair.

The same goes for mosquito-proofing places like church playgrounds and ball fields. Work with other parents to ensure that those places aren’t providing mosquitoes with a happy habitat.

You can also protect your family from mosquito bites by using mosquito repellants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend several repellants against mosquitoes – DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. According to the CDC, oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years old. Consumers should look for products that contain the CDC-recommended ingredients and follow all label instructions.

You can also fight the bite by reducing time spent outdoors, particularly in early morning and early evening hours when mosquitoes are most active.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), North Carolina accounted for 46 percent the nation’s LAC cases in 2006. Six Transylvania County school children were infected with LAC last year – an outbreak that was jointly investigated by North Carolina public health and the CDC. The disease is rarely fatal, but a Transylvania County girl died as a result of infection in 2001.

Transylvania County residents with specific concerns about mosquitoes in their neighborhoods can contact Transylvania County Environmental Health at (828) 884-3139.

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