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Mosquitoes collected in Reno County traps have recently been tested positive for West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis, said the Reno County Health Department this week.
While temperatures have dropped dramatically, health officials warn that mosquitoes carrying both viruses, even if they are less active, are still present. The risk of infection therefore remains.
That means, said Darcy Basye, coordinator of environmental health at the local department, that efforts to reduce the number of mosquitoes and prevent mosquito bites should also continue.
"There is still danger," said Basye. "It's not cold enough to reduce them completely. People must be aware and protect themselves. Be aware of stagnant water and come to the health department to get free dunks to stop the mosquitoes at the breeding source.
Although rare, West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis can cause inflammation of the brain, resulting in serious illness or death, especially in the elderly or in people with systemic impairments. immune.
Although mosquito trapping throughout the summer has revealed the presence of mosquito species capable of transporting and transmitting the two viruses, as well as species carrying the Zika virus, the recent test was the first this year. viruses actually present in captured insects.
It was also the first time, said Elliot Koester, Reno County Epidemiologist, that the state has tested St. Louis encephalitis in mosquitoes trapped in the county.
So, he could have been in the past, but officials did not know that, he said.
"Once you learn something new in a community or environment, it causes concern, which is why we raise awareness," Koester said. "However, it is similar to West Nile in the sense that it does not hurt most people if it is bitten by a mosquito. Most people remove it from their system. But the elderly and the immunocompromised are at higher risk. "
The only cases of St. Louis encephalitis recorded in Kansas since 2003 – dating back as far as data from the Federal Centers for Disease Control – were confirmed isolated human cases in Ellis and Sedgwick counties, both in 2004.
In contrast, the CDC website showed that human infections with West Nile virus have occurred in Reno County 11 in the past 15 years, with the highest incidence being eight cases in 2013.
Like the West Nile, St. Louis encephalitis is not contagious from one person to another and the symptoms of infection are similar, including fever, headache, stiff neck, disorientation and altered level of consciousness.
There is no specific treatment for the virus and antibiotics are not effective against this virus, reports the CDC. Serious illnesses are treated with supportive treatment that includes hospitalization, respiratory support, intravenous fluids and the prevention of other infections.
The total number of mosquitoes trapped in Reno County also increased significantly earlier this month, Health Department Director Nick Baldetti said last week, particularly in the southwestern part of the country. counties.
Officials could not tell how many booby trapped mosquitoes were infected with one or the other virus, but only that the viruses were present.
This is because all the trapped insects are ground together to produce the DNA that scientists then test for viruses, Bayse explained.
Last weekend, state health officials also reported confirmed cases of West Nile virus infection in horses in five counties of the state, particularly in counties. Seward, Marion and Wichita.
The virus, which can be avoided in horses vaccinated each year, can be fatal for the animal. Other symptoms in horses range from depression, loss of appetite and fever to severe neurological signs such as incoordination, weakness, inability to get up and hypersensitivity to touch or sound.
The teams will continue to monitor mosquito traps in Reno County until late fall, with the latest trapping scheduled for October 24, Bayse said.
It is unclear whether the state will continue to trap and test mosquitoes in Reno County next year. The effort was funded by a federal grant this year after three deaths caused by West Nile virus in the region a year ago.
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