West Nile virus dengue outbreak in South Florida

Vero Beach, Florida — On August 11, the Florida Department of Health reported 31 cases of West Nile virus in Miami Dade County and 1 case in Palm Beach County. Twenty-four of the confirmed cases were asymptomatic and eight were symptomatic.

Researchers at the University of Florida are currently trying to determine which insecticide works most effectively to control mosquitoes. West Nile virus..

Eva buckner, UF / IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Lab Associate Professor and National Entomologist in Medical Entomology, Monitors Outbreaks, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Miami-Dade Mosquito Control, and FDOH.

The CDC has discovered a large number of people who test positive for West Nile virus, including one species. Southern house mosquito“Culex quinquefasciatus,” said Buckner, pointing out that the virus primarily affects birds and mosquitoes.

“Many of them are found in asymptomatic blood donors,” Buckner explained in an interview with Zoom. “This is how we know about the vast majority of people who test positive for West Nile virus.”

West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne diseases in the continental United States. It is mainly transmitted to people by being bitten by an infected mosquito. The West Nile case occurs during the mosquito season, which begins in summer and continues through autumn.

“This suggests that Southern House mosquitoes are most likely the mosquito species responsible for infecting people with West Nile virus in the current Miami Dade outbreak,” Buckner said. It was “Adult mosquitoes in the Southern House are often resistant to insecticides. The resistance of the Miami Dade population may affect the ability of Miami Dade Mosquito controls to control current virus outbreaks. .”

In addition to West Nile, Buckner also said there were outbreaks of dengue in Monroe County throughout the Key Largo area. “About 45 cases of dengue fever have been recorded from around April to the present.”

As of August 5, the CDC Dengue fever In Florida, 154 cases occur in the United States.

Between July 27th and August 3rd, Buckner’s laboratory received samples of Southern House mosquito eggs that cause West Nile virus from multiple locations in Miami Dade County collected by Miami Dade Mosquito Control .. Buckner is now tasked to figure out which insecticide kills the highest proportion of mosquitoes in the southern homes.

“This information could help reduce the number of human infections with the virus in Miami-Dade county before neighboring counties are further affected,” Buckner said.

How to protect yourself from mosquitoes

Mosquitoes that transmit the West Nile virus are usually active at dawn and in the evening. Buckner said the best way to prevent mosquito bites is to wear long pants and long sleeves.

For further protection, Buckner recommends applying EPA-registered repellents. Some of them are oil, lemon, eucalyptus DEET Arden, or IR 3535.

And since Florida is currently in the rainy season, it is essential that people keep the water free standing in their homes. “Walk out of the house at least once a week or twice a week and throw away the water collecting container.”

West Nile virus symptoms

Buckner explained that 80% of West Nile cases were asymptomatic. People who show signs of getting a virus describe it as having flu-like symptoms. “Symptoms can progress and people can fall into more serious symptoms,” she said.

Some of these serious symptoms are associated with swelling of the brain due to encephalitis. “It can actually cause serious neurological and life-threatening symptoms,” she said, pointing to less than 1% of people experiencing severe symptoms. “For those who survive, it can change lives.”

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