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Second potentially deadly disease found in horse in Heuvelton; St. Lawrence County health authorities urge mosquito precautions

Posted 10/3/14

The St. Lawrence County Public Health Department is urging St. Lawrence County residents to take precautions against mosquitos as West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis have been found in …

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Second potentially deadly disease found in horse in Heuvelton; St. Lawrence County health authorities urge mosquito precautions

Posted

The St. Lawrence County Public Health Department is urging St. Lawrence County residents to take precautions against mosquitos as West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis have been found in the county.

The Public Health Department has been notified that a horse in the Heuvelton area has tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus just a week after a horse in the Massena area tested positive for West Nile virus. Both EEE and West Nile virus are spread through the bite of infected mosquitos and can be transmitted to humans.

With autumn upon us and cooler temperatures in the forecast the mosquito population will decrease, according to the Health Department Director of Preventative Services Laurie Maki, and so mosquito bites will also decrease, but she said individuals should protect themselves when outdoors by using an effective mosquito repellent and wearing long pants and long sleeves. The department recommends applying insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.

Insect repellants containing oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under 3, and products containing DEET should not be used on infants under two months. For children older than 2 months, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends products containing 10 percent to 30 percent DEET. Ten percent DEET provides protection for about two hours and 30 percent protects for about five hours.

Choose the lowest concentration of DEET that will provide the required length of coverage, Maki suggests. “It is important to always follow the label directions when using insect repellent,” she said.

When indoors, individuals are advised to keep doors closed and ensure that window screens are in place to prevent mosquitoes from infecting homes.

Horse owners should know that there is a vaccination for both EEE and WNV for their horses. They can talk to a veterinarian about these vaccinations.

People are also advised to take steps to reduce the number of mosquitoes around a home or property, eliminate standing water in yards, and make sure all windows and doors have screens that are in good repair. In addition, county residents are urged to:

• Dispose of used tires, tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar containers in which water collects.

• 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, and change the water in bird baths twice a week.

• Clean vegetation and debris from the edges of ponds. Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs.

• Drain water from pool covers.

Eastern equine encephalitis is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes that can affect people and horses. People who are infected may suffer a range of symptoms, from no symptoms to a mild, flu-like illness with fever, headaches and fatigue, to serious illness involving seizures and, in rare cases, coma. More information is available at the state page, http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/eastern_equine_encephalitis/fact_sheet.htm

West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne infection that can cause serious illness and occasionally death. Many people who contract West Nile virus do not experience any type of illness, and an estimated 20 percent of people who become infected will develop only mild symptoms including fever, headache and body aches, and possibly a skin rash or swollen lymph glands. Severe infection (West Nile encephalitis or meningitis) causes symptoms such as high fever, neck stiffness, muscle weakness, headaches, stupor, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis and coma. It is estimated that one in 150 persons infected with the West Nile virus will experience more severe disease.

More information on West Nile virus is available at a state web page, http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/west_nile_virus/, and a St. Lawrence County Public Health Department webpage, http://www.co.st-lawrence.ny.us/Departments/PublicHealth/LymeDisease_WestNileVirus.