There are a host of vector-borne illnesses that plague our area including tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease, Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis and also mosquito-borne illnesses such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis and other encephalides. The mosquito is responsible for another illness lurking in Massachusetts, it is West Nile Virus. As of August 2nd, 2012, no humans have been reported to be infected with the disease, however state officials have confirmed mosquitoes testing positive for the virus in Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Everett, Newton, Malden, Revere, and Winthrop. The Boston Globe recently reported additional positive results on mosquitoes found in Framingham and Wayland as well. The sheer number of mosquitoes testing positive all over Massachusetts is sending a red alert to residents from the beaches to the mountains.
Effective mosquito control begins by removing items and areas where water can pool and stagnate. A bird bath with stagnate water is the perfect nursery for mosquitoes.
What is West Nile?
West Nile Virus is an arbovirus that is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. West Nile Virus can produce one of three outcomes in humans. These three distinct reactions to the illness are asymptomatic, febrile and neuroinvasive which can turn into West Nile Meningitis or West Nile Encephalitis which can cause inflammation of the brain and damage to the central nervous system.
Asymptomatic infections generally display few or no symptoms following a typical 2-8 day incubation period. If the disease then worsens, those infected can then develop febrile West Nile. Symptoms of febrile West Nile usually include headache, chills, sweatiness, fever, and joint pain similar to the onset of being infected with the seasonal flu. In some cases the patient may experience vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms, but these are less common. In most cases these febrile symptoms will resolve within 10 days. More severe cases of West Nile can cause Meningitis and Encephalitis which can lead to coma and death.
The time for being at the greatest risk by being infected with West Nile Virus usually spans from July to September and can be a potentially serious illness. Here in North America The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention refer to the illness as a seasonal epidemic that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall. There is no cure or vaccination for the illness which can only be treated by the symptoms it displays in each patient.
It’s so easy to protect yourself and your family from WNV with Mosquito Squad of the North Shore at the reins.
What can I do to protect myself and my family?
The key to protecting ourselves and our family is exercising mosquito control and prevention here in the North Shore. If you remove the reason for potential illness from the equation then you eliminate the risk factor. Successful mosquito control and prevention starts at home by taking control of your surroundings and making your property less appealing to mosquitoes. Mosquito Squad has devised a simple checklist of the 5T’s of mosquito control that informs you of the ways to keep mosquitoes away from your property and away from you and your family. In order to effectively wipe out your risk, it is important to make a habit out of these precautions which include prompt removal of standing water, or vessels that could easily become filled with water by frequent inspections of your property.
Mosquito Squad of Leominster offers an intensive mosquito control program that controls and prevents mosquitoes all season. Our safe and effective barrier sprays are misted on schedule throughout the mosquito season and ensure no gaps in your mosquito control. We also offer an automatic mosquito misting system that is highly effective in a residential setting. Our goal is to completely protect you from mosquitoes and the many diseases they carry for the entire season. Contact Mosquito Squad of Leominster to learn more.