One sample of mosquitoes tested by the Monroe County Health Department came back positive for West Nile Virus in Monroe County, according to a Monroe County Health Department press release.
Samples were collected by the Indiana State Department of Health as part of their mosquito surveillance program. There were up to 100 mosquitoes per sample, according to the release.
“You can help protect your family and your community from West Nile Virus by eliminating areas of standing water available for mosquito breeding in or near your property,” Simeon Baker, environmental health specialist, said in the release.
Baker manages Monroe County’s mosquito surveillance program.
The mosquitoes that carry the West Nile Virus breed in places like ditches, open septic systems, discarded tires, birdbaths, unused wading pools, untended swimming pools and swimming pool covers, clogged roof gutters and any unused containers that hold water for days at a time, according to the release.
Even a small bucket that has stagnant water in it for seven days can become home to up to a thousand mosquitoes, Baker said in the release.
West Nile Virus is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes that have first bitten an infected bird. A person who is bitten by an infected mosquito may show symptoms from three to 15 days after the bite.
Most people who get infected with West Nile Virus will have either no symptoms or mild symptoms, according to the release.
Nevertheless, there are a number of cases that a few individuals will have a more severe form of the disease. Other forms include encephalitis, meningitis and inflammation of the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord.
Health officials say that individuals over age 50 are at higher risk for serious illness, according to the release.
There is no specific treatment for West Nile Virus, and no vaccine is available for humans. People who start developing the symptoms of West Nile Virus are instructed to see a doctor immediately. These symptoms include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, muscle weakness or paralysis, nausea or vomiting, sore joints or confusion.
Alyson Malinger
