Give West Nile Virus the swat!

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DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  This warm weather tends to bring people out of the house. Unfortunately, it also brings out the mosquitoes, and with them can come diseases such as West Nile Virus.

WNV can be transmitted to you through the bite of certain types of mosquitoes which are commonly found in Pima County. So far, there is no human vaccine for the WNV infection, and treatment is only available for the symptoms which may result from the infection. These symptoms can include headache, fever, body aches and muscle weakness, and may begin a couple of days to a couple of weeks following the bite. In 2010, Arizona led the nation with 163 cases of WNV, resulting in 13 deaths.

In southern Arizona, the mosquito season begins around the end of April and lasts well into October. Here at Davis-Monthan, there are two offices that are involved in mosquito control efforts. The 355th Medical Group Public Health office performs seasonal trapping to identify the mosquito species present on base and to estimate their prevalence, while the 355th Civil Engineering Squadron's Entomology office concentrates its efforts on killing adult and larval mosquitoes. Entomology routinely treats standing water at various places around the base, as this is the environment in which mosquitoes breed. Standing water at your own home may also be a breeding ground. You can reduce the mosquitoes around your home by taking the following measures:

· Regularly change out standing water in containers such as wading pools and pet dishes.
· Clean your roof gutters.
· Get rid of weeds, tall grass and overgrown areas.

Another way to decrease your risk of exposure to WNV is to limit outside activities at dusk and dawn--times mosquitoes are most active. If you must be outdoors at these times, use insect repellant containing diethyl-meta-toluamide or DEET and wear long sleeved shirts, pants, and socks. Placing intact screens on doors and windows can prevent exposure indoors. For more information, please visit www.westnileaz.com.