INDIANAPOLIS — The Marion County Public Health Department said mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile virus for the first time this season.
No human cases have been reported at the time this article was published.
West Nile virus can cause West Nile fever, which can include fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph glands or a rash.
Some people will develop a more severe form of the disease affecting the nervous system, including inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, muscle paralysis, or even death.
Mosquitoes can transmit viruses such as West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis (triple-E) virus, and La Crosse virus.
People older than 60 years are at higher risk of severe West Nile virus disease.
“Mosquitoes need just a small amount of water for breeding, so please take a few minutes to walk around your yard or property,” said Matt Sinsko, coordinator of Mosquito Control at the Marion County Public Health Department. “Emptying water from containers of any size and flushing out bird baths every week helps to control the mosquito population and reduce the chance for bites. Also, check for old tires, clogged gutters, small recreational pools and poorly operating septic systems.”
State health officials recommend the following measures to prevent mosquito-borne diseases:
- Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone to clothes and exposed skin
- Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are active (especially early morning, late afternoon, and the hours between dusk and dawn)
- Cover exposed skin by wearing a hat, long sleeves and long pants in places where mosquitoes are especially active, such as wooded areas
- Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of the home
Even a container as small as a bottle cap can become a mosquito breeding site, so Hoosiers should take the following steps to eliminate them:
- Discard old tires, tin cans, ceramic pots or other containers that can hold water
- Repair failed septic systems
- Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers left outdoors
- Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed
- Clean clogged roof gutters, particularly if leaves tend to plug up the drains
- Frequently replace the water in pet bowls
- Flush ornamental fountains and birdbaths periodically
- Aerate ornamental pools, or stock them with predatory fish