Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus trapped in Greencastle area

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

They're ba-a-a-ck. Those pesky, biting West Nile virus-carrying mosquitoes, that is.

Putnam County has recorded its first positive test for the West Nile virus this season, Darrell Brackney, environmental health specialist for the Putnam County Health Department, told the Banner Graphic Wednesday.

Brackney disclosed that mosquitoes trapped in the Greencastle area in recent days have tested positive for the virus.

Mosquitoes that were trapped by the State Board of Health near the wastewater treatment plant west of Greencastle have tested positive for West Nile, he explained.

"I've had traps out too but none of mine have come back positive," Brackney said, urging that local residents heed the warning and take precautions against being bitten by West Nile-carrying mosquitoes.

"Mosquitoes are carriers, so we need to be aware," he added.

That's not to mislead anyone into thinking West Nile virus is running rampant locally. It only means mosquitoes in the area have tested positive for the ability to transmit the virus and other mosquito-borne diseases.

The Putnam County area has had mosquitoes test positive for carrying the virus nearly every summer over the past several years.

Yet only one positive human test has ever been reported locally, Brackney said, with that occurring in the northern part of the county in 2015.

To help keep that from happening, Brackney urges residents to take precautions such as emptying birdbaths, disposing of old tires, cleaning gutters or checking anything else that might trap water and allow it to stagnate.

As of July 15, one human case of West Nile virus has been confirmed in Marion County, while mosquitoes in Marion, Hamilton, Jennings and Benton counties also have tested positive for West Nile virus.

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) expects to continue to see increased West Nile activity throughout the state as the mosquito season progresses.

"Each year, we see people become ill with West Nile virus as a result of mosquito bites," State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams said. "Finding the virus in mosquitoes from multiple counties means that the risk is starting to increase statewide. I urge all Hoosiers to protect themselves from bites, which will protect against West Nile and other viruses transmitted by mosquitoes."

State health officials recommend several preventative measures:

-- Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are active (late afternoon and dusk to dawn and early morning).

-- Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or paramenthanediol to clothes and exposed skin.

-- Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of the home.

-- Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed.

-- Repair failed septic systems.

-- Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers left outdoors.

-- Frequently replace the water in pet bowls.

-- Flush ornamental fountains periodically.

-- Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with predatory fish.

West Nile virus can cause West Nile fever, a mild form of the illness, which can include fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph glands or a rash. Some individuals will develop a more severe form of the disease with encephalitis or meningitis and other severe syndromes, including muscle paralysis or even death.

People who think they may have contracted West Nile virus should see their healthcare provider.

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