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August
6, 2003
Little
Rock -- In
its ongoing surveillance of mosquito-borne diseases, the
Arkansas Department of Health today reported the first
human case of West Nile virus this season in Jefferson
County.
Dr.
Frank Wilson, State Epidemiologist, said, “We are
reporting this case to keep the public aware of
developments. However, I want to emphasize that the risk
of West Nile virus to Arkansans is miniscule—less than
one percent of people bitten by an infected mosquito
develop severe illness. With proper precautions and
common sense, Arkansans should continue their summer
activities as usual.”
The
Arkansas Department of Health is reporting birds testing
positive for the West Nile virus in Cleburne, Sebastian
and Mississippi Counties.
In addition, birds have previously tested
positive in Little River, Union, Jefferson, Arkansas,
Benton, Clark, Crawford, and Hot Spring counties. Horses
have tested positive in Logan and Sebastian Counties,
and a positive mosquito pool has been reported in Greene
County. The ADH will no longer be accepting birds for
testing in any county where a bird has tested positive
this year.
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.
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).
Use
the following precautions when using repellents
containing DEET:
-
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.
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.
“Very
few people bitten by West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes
experience anything beyond a day or two of feeling mild
flu-like symptoms,” Dr. Wilson said. “Those at
greatest risk are the very old and those with underlying
health problems. The surest way to stop the spread of
these mosquito-borne diseases is prevention, and every
household can take action.” Last year, 43 West Nile
infections were reported in Arkansas residents.
Five of these cases resulted in death.
For
more information call the ADH Health Information Line at
1.877.296.9555 or Local 296.9555 or the CDC West Nile
virus hotline at 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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