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June
17, 2003
Little
Rock - The
Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission has informed
the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) that a horse in
Logan County has tested positive for West Nile virus. West Nile virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes to
humans, horses and other animals after feeding on
diseased birds, which are the host animals. Symptoms of
human West Nile virus infections typically begin within
14 days following the insect bite and consist of fever,
muscle and joint aches, listlessness, and in most severe
cases, headaches which may indicate encephalitis
(inflammation of the brain). There is no specific
treatment for West Nile virus infection; avoiding
mosquitoes is the best prevention.
The
following protective measures are recommended:
-
Make
sure all windows and doors have screens in good
repair. Stay
indoors when mosquitoes are more active, usually
from dusk to dawn.
When it is necessary to be outdoors, wear
protective clothing and use mosquito repellent
containing up to 35 percent DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide).
-
Store
out of the reach of children and read all
instructions on the label before applying.
-
Do
not allow young children to apply DEET themselves.
-
Do
not apply DEET directly to children.
Apply to your own hands and then put it on
the child, avoiding the child’s face and hands.
-
Do
not apply repellents to clothing or to skin that is
covered by clothing.
-
Do
not apply repellents in enclosed areas.
-
Do
not apply directly to your face.
-
Wash
all treated skin after returning indoors.
-
If
you believe you or your child is having an adverse
reaction to a repellent containing DEET, wash the
treated area immediately and call your health care
provider.
Mosquitoes
can breed in any body of water, from small containers
such as tires and tin cans, to large bodies of water
like lakes or marshes. These breeding places create a variety of mosquito problems.
To help stop mosquitoes from breeding, Arkansans
should:
-
Dispose
of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or
similar water-holding containers.
-
Remove
all discarded tires from your property.
-
Drill
holes in the bottoms of recycling containers that
are kept outdoors. Make sure roof gutters drain
properly and clean clogged gutters in the spring and
fall.
-
Turn
over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not
in use.
Change the water in birdbaths.
-
Clean
vegetation and debris from the edges of ponds.
-
Clean
and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and
hot tubs.
-
Drain
water from pool covers.
-
Use
landscaping to eliminate stagnant water that
collects on your property.
ADH
reasserted today that there are no confirmed cases of
West Nile virus in humans in Arkansas. The Health
Department is continuing to monitor the state with
regard to mosquito-borne diseases. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention is providing a West Nile
virus hotline: 1-888-246-2675; 1-888-246-2857 (Spanish).
For more information, visit the ADH website at www.healthyarkansas.com/services/westnilevirus_main.htm.
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