SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Mosquitoes in Imperial County tested positive for a virus that causes brain inflammation, the county health department announced.
A mosquito pool collected near Palm Avenue in the City of Brawley that was tested on Aug. 25 came back positive for Saint Louis Encephalitis (SLE), a severe neuroinvasive disease that often involves encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, the Imperial County Health Department announced Friday.
The CDC and county health department says there are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat St. Louis Encephalitis, which is spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito.
Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and tiredness.
The CDC says the St. Louis Encephalitis virus causes some people to develop a neuroinvasive disease, such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord). In rare cases, long-term disability or death can happen.
Another round of mosquito pools tested positive for the virus in late July that were collected in the area of Orchard Road in Holtville and La Paz Drive and Cannon Drive in Imperial, the county health department reported.
“While it’s not unusual to detect mosquito activity during the summer months, the identification of multiple positive pools in different areas is a reminder for all of us to stay alert,” stated Stephen Munday, M.D., Imperial County Health Officer. “We want residents to take precautions, like eliminating standing water and using insect repellent, to help reduce the risk of mosquito-borne illness and protect their families and communities.”
Reduce your risk of mosquito-borne diseases by taking the following precautions:
- Limit time outdoors during dawn and early evening.
- When outdoors, wear loose-fitting, light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and pants when mosquitoes are most active (during dusk and dawn).
- Apply insect repellent that contains DEET, Picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to label instructions to prevent mosquito bites.
- Make sure that doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or holes.
- Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property that can support mosquito breeding by:
- Draining or eliminating old tires, buckets, plastic covers, toys, or any other containers where mosquitoes can breed.
- Emptying and changing the water in birdbaths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and potted plant trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats.
- Draining or filling temporary pools of water with dirt.
- Keeping swimming pool water treated and circulating.
- Contact Vector Control if there is a significant mosquito problem where you live or work.
“Vector Control staff remain actively engaged in surveillance and mitigation efforts throughout the county,” said Jeff Lamoure, Deputy Director of Environmental Health. “We encourage the public to be part of the solution by reporting mosquito problems and taking simple steps at home to reduce breeding sources.”
For more information on the Saint Louis Encephalitis (SLE) virus, visit the California Department of Public Health Department’s website at cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/SLE.aspx or the CDC’s website at cdc.gov/sle/about/index.html.
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