West Nile "Epidemic" Could Follow Increase in Infected Mosquitoes

Following the West Nile Virus Infections of two Los Angeles County men last week, health and vector control officials are stepping up efforts to warn residents of the threat posed by infected mosquitoes in the area.

Warning that this could be one of the worst years for West Nile Virus infections since 2004 when sixty-four people in Orange County were infected and four killed by the disease, officials have found contaminated mosquitoes and birds concentrated in the North Orange County and South Los Angeles County areas.

LA County has had 10 confirmed human cases this year, and Orange County has had none. However, Five mosquito pools near the Los Alamitos Race Track tested positive for the West Nile Virus recently.

The virus is spread by mosquitoes to humans, birds and horses. Most people infected with the virus don’t experience any symptoms, according to the Center for Disease Control. Twenty percent of those infected will experience mild symptoms such as fever, headache and vomiting. And one in 150 people experience severe effects such as high fever, coma or paralysis.

The California Department of Public Health confirmed the two human cases in LA County, but withheld additional information about which cities the infections occurred in. But this weekend, officials from the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District made door-to-door rounds in Norwalk to warn residents about the heightened West Nile Virus risk.

The risk, officials say, is so high this year that it warranted a door-to-door effort to educate residents about the virus and potential mosquito breeding grounds. The last time the district made such an effort was in 2004, when the West Nile Virus reached threatening levels. 

“(The door-to-door campaign) is something that we’re doing out of the usual,” said Crystal Brown, public information officer for the district. “ We are repeating the effort because the numbers this year are similar to those in 2004 and we are on track to have an epidemic year, this effort is to be pre-emptive and proactive to get the word out and prevent human cases.”

Brown said that Norwalk was targeted as one of the cities for the campaign based on scientific data showing infection rates and historical data. Norwalk, she said, has a history of having a high number of infection rates.

The Center for Disease Control offers these tips to protect yourself from mosquito bites:

• When you are outdoors, use insect repellent containing an EPA-registered active ingredient.
• Many mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn. Be sure to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants at these times or consider staying indoors during these hours.
• Make sure you have good screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.
• Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flowerpots, buckets and barrels. Change the water in pet dishes and replace the water in birdbaths weekly. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Keep children's wading pools empty and on their sides when they aren't being used.

Patch Reporters Christina De Leon-Menjivar and Paige Austin contributed to this report.