The mosquitos are out for blood…
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Okay, so it’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything but random thoughts in the chatbox, but this issue has me pretty fired up, so here goes. (While I realize not all mosquitos carry West Nile, I currently don’t know of any way to differentiate between “the good” and “the bad”. So to “the good” mosquitos of the world who just annoy us, I apologize.) The other night as I was sitting on my couch I felt something on my back - when I reached my hand back to feel I didn’t find anything. A minute later I felt it again, so again I put my hand back, but this time my hand started to sting. I then jumped up and began looking to see what was biting me. Sure enough a mosquito was IN MY HOME! After killing the bloodsucking, very possibly disease infected insect, I inspected myself for bites. FOUR bites from one mosquito (trust me, I searched) - two on my back, two on the back of my fingers.
I instantly started studying more about West Nile Virus because I have never in my life been so viciously attacked by a mosquito. I remember when I was a child, mosquito bites were a pain to deal with but quickly forgotten. Now with this virus attacking our state more voraciously than any other I am having a hard time just forgetting about the bites. So I’ve done some research to better alert us all - pass it along, make sure people have the facts, because ” West Nile virus (WNV) is a potentially serious illness.” (taken from CDC website **link**)
I do not in any way want to stir people into a frenzy about WNV, but I do want to make sure I’ve shared the facts I’ve found and give some helpful tips for preventing “attacks”. So here are some statistics to ponder.
2005 Totals (**link**)
- 106 horses
- 17 mosquito pools
- 14 birds
- 1 dog
- 13 humans
What I found interesting when I went to the CDC Website and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Website I didn’t get matching results - not even close - so here’s the numbers - research further if you’d like. The CDC shows 112 cases, while the DHW shows a combined total of 255 (WNV-Positive Surveillance Findings, Idaho). Why such a variance in numbers - both sites claim an update as of August 15, 2006 (at the time of this posting). The other thing I found a little alarming was the jump in numbers from last year to this year - but I’m sure that has to do with all the moisture we had this past winter and spring.
(see Centers for Disease control West Nile Virus Activity map for the whole USA @ **link**)
(WNV-Positive Surveillance Findings, Idaho, as of 8/15/2006 **link**)
**UPDATE** 8/16/06 - KPVI Channel 6 news just announced that WNV is up to 266. **link**
And finally, I wanted to share two links one from The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. It includes some great tips on what you can do to limit your risk as well as what to be on the lookout for.
And for the parents out there PLEASE read this important information about DEET and the precautions you MUST use when protecting your children from West Nile Virus.
**CLICK HERE PLEASE, FOR YOUR KIDS SAKE**
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Comments
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0 
0 I was curious about how the disease is transmitted. The CDC factsheet web page says the virus can be spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants, breast feeding, and can be passed from mother to baby while baby is still in the womb.
The breast feeding method of infection is one I find intriguing as, apparently, the virus does not need to be deposited directly into the bloodstream in order to grow, multiply, and infect.
I tell you this just in case mosquitoes is not enough to worry about.
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0 0 Guest,
I’m a little puzzled with your last statement, “I tell you this just in case mosquitoes is not enough to worry about. ” Please understand I am not critical of your sentence. I just don’t know for sure your intended meaning, as I can think of two off the top of my head.
I’m so proud of Skitterkat for writing what no one else in the area (MEDIA) would do as thoroughly. I think your comments, Guest, are important. Please just clarify your last sentence so we all can benefit from your thinking. Thank you!
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0 0 All I meant with the statement is that WNV can be, and is, spread through means other than mosquito bites.
I do want to add to my previous comments, if I might. The breast feeding method of transmission is interesting to me because I do not understand the biological mechanics of how it works. I don’t understand the biological processes that allow the virus to travel from mosquito to mother’s blood to mother’s milk to baby’s mouth to baby’s blood. Perhaps someone could explain this to me in one and two syllable words.
The CDC site says that WNV can not be transmitted through kissing. Why not, expecially if it can be transmitted through breast feeding?
Then there is the whole media thing in regards to WNV. Granted, I haven’t researched this widely, but from what I do hear and read, the media only mentions transmission via mosquitoes that have acquired the virus from birds. Why isn’t it just as likely that the infected mosquito got infected from biting an infected human? Or an infected horse?
These are just some questions I have. I don’t know if they are valid questions or silly questions. Maybe I can make that determination when I have the answers.
Hope this helps clarify, OK4.
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0 0 I think that the WNV is going to kill alot of people in Idaho and its not being taken seriously around Idhao falls area. Boneville county Sheriffs arent taking it serious I think district 7 needsmore funds and so do other local agencies to give out free mosquito spray. I do not think everyone has enough money to buy spray and only the wealthy should be able to protect them selves. I think people that are disabled or old and low income families should be given free spry to protect them selves. Sure its great that I can afford the spray but I also have been going thru alot because I make sure all kids at the play grounds are sprayed. I have been warning other parents that westnile isnt a joke its a real threat. I am at more risk of catching the virus because I spend alot of time outdoors with my kids and taking pictures. I have been bit alot and i think I am having some symptoms, sore legs and arms, cramping, upset stomach, head aches, the sweats. I went in for a test I will get results on monday. Everyone deserves protection from the virus I think our county should spray for them like ADA county is. We need our mayor to claim Idhao falls as a disaster zone. So the federal government will give our county money to get free spray for low income families. And so we can get rid of 90% of our mosquito population. The Idaho falls Zoo employees said they have lost some of the birds there due to westnile. So just be carefull and buy deet spray. make children wear long sleeved shirts and pants and spray deet spray on clothing not on the skin because it is harmfull to children.
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0 0 I remember watching reports on the BBC some time ago about Eastern Europe. Watching quarantined cities that were (are?) spraying every car in and out of cities, in germ suits and all. And the reports that it had shown up in Florida. The warnings were there, but the main media here was saying nothing. I’m not about to speculate wildly as to why, just saying. Also, how long will it be before such measures become mandatory here? kewl0069 I hope you are OK. I have done all I can around my property to eliminate mosquito habitat. That is one thing individuals can do. Get rid of those buckets or anything that collects water, turn them upside down. If you have ditches or whatever, look at how to keep it flowing. Your suggestions on a larger scale are very good, as well. I would suggest to skitterkat (wondering in the chat the other day where those biters came from) that there is probably more habitat in your neighborhood than you think. People put out pools for their dogs, etc. Also, those buggers are just dust to the crazy winds we have here and a 20kt gust could carry a skeeter across this town pretty quickly.
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0 0 This year, we’ve only had 1 provisional report of a symptomatic case in Bonneville County, with a total of 9 cases statewide. (Report was updated 08/08/08)
While in Yellowstone Park, we saw less than a dozen mosquitoes and didn’t even think about WNV. Has anyone had a problem with them locally this year?
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0 0 West Nile virus is bad news. A good friend’s daughter got it about 9 years ago while living in the East, and it debilitated her at the age of 29. Her condition is much like chronic fatigue syndrome; most of the time, she just tires out very quickly. Sometimes, though, her symptoms are more like malaria- she develops a fever and gets very sick.
My buddy’s wife moved in with her daughter’s family to help take care of her kids, and eventually my friend moved to the Boise area just to be close to his wife, daughter and their families.
I know mosquito spraying is done on the river in many of the low-lying island areas on the Bonneville-Jefferson county borders, but I never hear anything much about anywhere else. I sure hope a cure is found- this virus could become the next Yellow Fever.
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I’ve done a little research on this topic and might be able to answer some of your questions. The discrepancy between the CDC and DH&W numbers results from how frequently they update. The CDC appears to update at the end of each week (despite the date listed on the website), while the DH&W updates every day.
With the virus going crazy in Idaho this year (yes, it’s related both to the wet spring and to a general spike many states have seen a couple years after the virus first appears), there are dozens of new human cases reported daily. So the Idaho DH&W site is the best source of the latest info.