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Spring brings health scares
3/22/2008 11:50 PM   0 comment(s) on this story E-mail this story to a friend

Staff reports
As the sunnier weather starts to show its face and temperatures start to rise, it is not all summer fun. With warmth comes the bugs, and with a certain annoying little creature - the mosquito - comes health scares.
"Citizens of South Carolina can assist with their own protection from West Nile virus by submitting dead blue jays and crows for West Nile virus testing," said Chris Evans, a Ph.D. entomologist with DHEC's Bureau of Laboratories. "Bird surveillance is an integral part of the surveillance system, and having the public's involvement helps us sample a much wider area.
"Citizens are asked to follow the directions on the bird submission website to safely pick up and transport the birds to the closest DHEC Environmental Health office for testing."
In 2007 Aiken County had three birds confirmed with the virus, 14 mosquito pools and one human.
More than 1,000 mosquitos and 10 birds were tested.
Birds that test positive for West Nile virus are reported to local mosquito control agencies so they can take appropriate action.
Locally, citizens who discovered dead blue jays or crows are asked to bring them in to the environmental health office. The Aiken office is located in suite 120 of Kalmia Plaza.
"Handle them with gloves, put it in a bag and bring it in," said Ken Montgomery, Vector Specialist. "If it's over the weekend put it on ice and bring it in."
Montgomery believes the contamination risk, even without gloves, is very low.
"As the weather begins to warm, regular spring cleaning activities can help reduce mosquito populations" said Sue Ferguson, an environmental health manager with DHEC's Bureau of Environmental Health. "Removing items from your yard that collect water, cleaning roof gutters and filling in low-lying areas will help prevent mosquitoes from breeding and allow outdoor activities such as gardening, barbecues and outdoor sports to be safer and more enjoyable.
"Mosquito populations can emerge from very small amounts of water, if that water is allowed to stagnate," Ferguson said. "It is important to support local mosquito prevention and control efforts."
Horses and dogs also can get mosquito-borne diseases. Check with your veterinarian about heartworm testing and preventive medicine for dogs. Vaccines are available to prevent West Nile virus as well as Eastern equine encephalitis virus in equines. Each vaccine should be administered in both spring and fall because South Carolina's mosquito season is so long.
For more information or assistance with mosquito control efforts, contact your local mosquito control program.



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