Rain brings mosquitoes – which means West Nile

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

Summer rains are great for a parched semi-arid desert area such as Cibola and McKinley counties, but those same rains have also created a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes; and with mosquitoes every July and August comes the West Nile virus.

Cibola County now has the virus, but there is no reason to panic, said Jimmy Chavez, public works director for Cibola County.

He said he received a call late Tuesday afternoon informing him of the positive mosquito test.

The mosquitoes that tested positive were from an area on the east side of Grants behind what used to a pancake breakfast restaurant and is now an arts and crafts store, he said.

As of Wednesday, about 1,500 mosquitoes have been sent to the state laboratory testing for the virus.

Immediate response
“It takes about two weeks to get the results,” Chavez said. So, the virus was present in that area of Grants about the middle of July, he said.

Chavez and vector control agents immediately went out and evaluated the scene, identifying some standing pools of water and noting the tall weeds and grasses in the area, he said.

“It is private property, so the owners should cut down those weeds and grasses,” he said, in addition to draining the water.

“It takes water for mosquitoes to breed and all the rain we have been having is not helping us,” Chavez said.

The last case of the virus was in July 2005 and the county was able to combat that and prevent a further outbreak.

“We see the most cases of West Nile in July or August,” Chavez said.

Although some trapped mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile, no humans have contracted the disease, he said.

“Our trapping efforts are working,” he said. The county has a number of mosquito traps that are set throughout the area and mosquitoes are sent in to be tested each week.

One area that Chavez and vector control agents see that is a problem are old tires. They collect water and provide a perfect haven for mosquitoes to breed and reproduce.

Who is at risk?
People at risk for contracting the virus are those over the age of 50, especially those who are much older.

Symptoms of West Nile are fever, nausea, vomiting headaches and muscle aches. West Nile can cause meningitis, an infection of the lining of the brain or encephalitis, an infection of the brain itself.

Because of this, anyone with these symptoms is strongly urged to see their primary care physician. Less than 1 percent of all people infected, including those who have no symptoms and have not been tested, develop meningitis or encephalitis.

Chavez provided the following information for the Independent: There have been four cases of West Nile virus in humans so far in New Mexico this year: A 57-year-old woman in Chavez County; a 66-year-old man in Dona Ana County; a 60-year-old woman from San Juan County; and a 15-year-old girl from Roosevelt County.

So far this year three equine cases have been reported, from Eddy, Mora and Soccoro counties.

In 2006, New Mexico had eight cases of West Nile in humans, with one fatality. In 2005, there were 33 cases of human-infected West Nile virus with two fatalities. In 2004, there were 88 cases with four fatalities and in 2003, there were 309 cases with four fatalities.

Chavez said his vector control crews are aggressively attacking mosquito areas with fogging for adults and larvaciding for mosquitoes in larvae that have not yet hatched.

When outdoors, area residents are asked to use a mosquito repellent, especially during evening and early morning hours when mosquitoes are most active.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197
or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com