Health officials predict mosquito boom

Flathead City-County Health officials warn that prolonged rain in spring and early summer may have nurtured a bumper crop of flood-water mosquitoes.

At a recent health board meeting, Bruce Gunderson, mosquito control coordinator, issued an ominous prediction.

“If we get warm weather, we’re going to have a lot of mosquitoes,” he said.

In a press release, Health Officer Joe Russell said that standing water has the potential to increase mosquito larva hatches.

Russell said that staffers started treating normal high-water locations in early spring when unseasonably warm temperatures may have triggered larva development.

When heavy rain followed those warm temperatures, continually rising water in low-lying areas and rivers made treating backwater locations difficult.

He asked that people report areas of standing water from seasonal flooding, snow-melt pools, irrigation runoff or other stagnant water to the mosquito control district at 751-8145 or by e-mail to bgunderson@co.flathead.mt.gov.

Russell recommends that people:

n Drain water to eliminate breeding areas for mosquitoes by eliminating trash and water that may collect in gutters, cans, uncovered boats and tires; drain water from wading pools not in use; change water in bird baths, fountains and water troughs weekly and drain water from storage tarps.

n Since mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, stay indoors to avoid bites.

n Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, socks and hats in areas with mosquitoes.

n Use repellents with the concentration of DEET appropriate for your age. Products with picaridin and permethrin are also recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Prevention efforts are particularly important with the potential for cases of West Nile virus, a disease spread by mosquitoes.

Only one in 150 people develop serious symptoms, but these may include high fever, headache, stupor, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness, paralysis and, in rare cases, death.

Symptoms appear between three and 14 days after a bite. Infections are most common in late summer when the Culex mosquito starts feeding on humans and animals as migrating birds leave the state.

Mosquito control staffers work with a statewide West Nile virus surveillance project at Carroll College. At the June health board meeting, Gunderson said he would place traps in late June to catch mosquitoes to send to the college where students separate out the Culex variety and test for the virus.

According to the CDC website, one person has contracted West Nile virus in North Dakota and animals have been infected in Wyoming so far in 2010. West Nile virus can be deadly to horses so veterinarians recommend owners have them vaccinated.

There is no vaccination for people.

Since 2005, more than 271 cases of West Nile virus have been found in Montanans. Four people died and more than 50 had severe complications causing encephalitis or meningitis.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.