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2007-8-30 13:45:21 |
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Thursday August 2, 2007 (Foodconsumer.org) - The Illinois Department of Public Health announced August 1 that it has confirmed three new cases of West Nile virus, bringing the total to six in the state for the years of 2007. But it remains unknown whether any of the new cases got the virus through a mosquito bite. The latest cases include a Kane County woman in her 40s who became ill later in June. In Kane County, no mosquito samples have yet been found with West Nile virus. The second latest case is a Tazewell County woman in her 20s who was ill in Mid-July. In Tazewell, the virus was found only in one batch of mosquitoes. The third latest case is a man in his 40s from Cook County Chicago who became ill in later in July with West Nile Neuroinvasive dsiease. The reporting of human cases in the county should not be a surprise because West Nile virus has been most active in mosquitoes in this county. “So far this year six people in Illinois are confirmed to have West Nile virus, compared with only one human case at this time last year,? said Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, Illinois Department of Public Health Director. “While we do not want to frighten the public, we do want to spread the message that protecting yourself from mosquito bites is the best prevention.? Mosquitoes with West Nile virus have been found only in six counties so far this year including Cook (107 batches), Dupage (44), Lake (1), Lee (1), Sangamon (1) and Tazewell (1). The first three cases include a Madison County man in his 60's suffered a neuroinvasive disease, a severe form of West Nile virus while the virus in mosquitoes was not reported in the county. He reportedly traveled within Illinois and other states during the incubation period. The first human case of West Nile virus for 2007 was reported in Dupage County on June 15. The second case was reported on July 5 involving a Cook County woman in her 50s who became ill in the latter part of June, according to the IDPH. It is not clear whether these cases were caused by mosquito bites. In 2006, 77 of the state’s 102 counties were found to have a West Nile activity in bird, mosquito, horse or human case. A total of 215 human cases of West Nile disease, including 10 deaths, were confirmed last year in Illinois. In Illinois, surveillance for West Nile virus began on May 1 and includes tests on mosquitoes, dead crows, blue jays, robins and other perching bird as well as sick horses and humans with West Nile like disease symptoms. In most cases, West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus earlier by feeding on an infected bird. Tainted blood can also be a source of the infection. Eighty percent of infected with West Nile virus people have no clinical symptoms of illness. An estimated 20 percent or two out of ten may show milder symptoms three to 14 days after the bite of the infected mosquito. The symptoms include fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Persons older than 50 years of age are at the highest risk of severe disease. "The best way to prevent West Nile disease or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites," the Illinois health department says on its web site, suggesting following precautions. ? Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn. Use prevention methods whenever mosquitoes are present. ? When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that includes DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to label instructions. Repellents are toxic to mosquitoes and a physician should be consulted before using repellents on infants. ? Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens so mosquitoes can't get into the house. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night. ? Eliminate all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding, including flowerpots, clogged roof gutters, old tires and any other receptacles. Change water in bird baths weekly. Properly maintain wading pools and stock ornamental ponds with fish. Cover rain barrels with 16 mesh wire screen. In communities where there are organized mosquito control programs, contact your municipal government to report areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes. |
