13-year-old Logan County boy becomes the state's second victim
this year.
The recent weather pattern in Oklahoma is ripe for producing
loads of mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus, the state
epidemiologist, Dr. Kristy Bradley, said Thursday.
Meanwhile, a 13-year-old boy in Logan County is the second
confirmed case of West Nile virus in Oklahoma, the state Health
Department reported Thursday.
The first case was a 55-year-old Pittsburg County woman.
"We have had two cases this year, which is earlier than usual in
Oklahoma," Bradley said.
Typically, the highest-risk months in Oklahoma for West Nile
virus exposure are July through October.
"We know there is a recipe for West Nile virus, and certainly
rainfall accelerates opportunities for mosquitoes to have breeding
locations," she said.
Temperatures greater than 72 degrees right after a rainfall
shortens the mosquito production cycle by half, she said.
"If a Culex mosquito lays a raft of hundreds of eggs on standing
water in cooler weather, it takes about 10 to 14 days for the eggs
to hatch, become larva, pupa and then flying adults," Bradley said.
"If the weather is in the 80s or 90s, that process is shorted to 5
to 7 days."
The Culex, or southern house mosquito, is one of 69 types of
mosquitoes found in Oklahoma. It is the only type that carries West
Nile virus. It is abundant throughout central and eastern parts of
the state, she said.
Only the female Culex bites people, seeking out a "blood meal."
Male Culex mosquitoes feed off nectar.
If the female carries West Nile virus, the disease is passed to
whomever the mosquito bites, Bradley said.
"We see an increasing number of mosquitoes being produced if we
have lots of standing water spots," she said.
Recent heavy rainfalls and flooding in some areas of the state
have left standing water pools in yards, tires, flower pots and
ditches.
Bradley urged residents to rid their yards of standing water.
"Most exposures occur around a person's own home or yard," she
said.
People also should keep home and garage doors closed, and make
sure their window screens fit well, she said.
Symptoms of the disease typically develop three to 14 days after
the initial infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. They include sudden onset of fever,
headaches, dizziness and muscle weakness.
Other symptoms include body aches, nausea, vomiting, and
sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach
and back.
People older than 50 or who have had an organ transplant or have
diabetes are at increased risk, the CDC said.
Although no cure for the disease exists, the bodies of most
people eventually clear the infection. Still, about 20 percent to 30
percent of people who had West Nile disease have lingering
disabilities from the infection, particularly if it affected the
nervous system, Bradley said.
Those lingering symptoms include chronic fatigue, muscle tremors,
migraine headaches and persistent pain, she said.
"It's just another reason why we're urging Oklahomans to take
mosquito precautions," she said.
Kim Archer 581-8315
kim.archer@tulsaworld.com
County pesticide spraying to start next week
The Tulsa City-County Health Department will begin spraying
pesticides throughout the county on Monday, weather permitting,
said John Baker, the agency's manager of environmental services.
"If it rains or the wind blows more than 12 mph, it renders
spraying ineffective," he said.
Heavy rains wash out a lot of mosquito eggs but also create new
areas of standing water, Baker said.
Residents may call the mosquito hot line to request spraying, he
said. The unit also monitors 70 random sites throughout the county
twice a week to check for mosquitoes that test positive for West
Nile virus. Crews spray within one square mile of each positive
site, he said.
Finally, if a human case of West N ile virus appears in the
county, crews will spray within a square mile of that person's
home, Baker said.
The county has safer and more-e)ective pesticides this year to
improve the kill rate, including a spray that reduces the chance
that mosquito populations will build up resistance to pesticides,
he said.
"We're more effective when people help us out by reducing
mosquito habitats," Baker said. The Tulsa County Mosquito Spraying
Hotline is 595-4219.
Don't get bitten
Use insect repellent on exposed skin and clothing while
outdoors, particularly between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are
more likely to bite.
Use repellents that contain DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon
eucalyptus.
Repair or install window and door screens.
Keep doors closed so mosquitoes cannot enter the home.
Make sure rain gutters are not clogged.
Clean pet water bowls and bird baths often.
Drain buckets, cans, pool covers, flower pots and other items
of standing water so mosquitoes have nowhere to breed.
Source: Oklahoma State Department of Health
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