West Nile Virus On The Rise In CT: Reports Of Infections In 8 Towns

CONNECTICUT — The State Mosquito Management Program is warning Connecticut residents about the increasing risk of infection by West Nile virus this season.

So far, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has detected WNV-infected mosquitoes in eight towns: Bridgeport, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, and Wethersfield.

"We are seeing a geographic expansion of West Nile virus activity to new towns in Connecticut," said John Shepard, medical entomologist at the CAES. "We anticipate further build-up of West Nile virus in mosquitoes with increased risk of human infection from now through September."

No human or horse cases have been reported with WNV-associated illnesses acquired in the state this season, according to CAES. One hundred eighty-one human cases of West Nile virus, including four fatalities, have been reported in Connecticut residents since 2000.

WNV can cause an acute febrile illness or neurologic disease, including meningitis, encephalitis, and acute flaccid myelitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The incubation period ranges from 2–14 days (perhaps longer in immunocompromised persons) and the overall fatality is approximately 10 percent.

To reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, CAES advises residents to:

• Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• Consider the use of mosquito repellents containing an EPA-registered active ingredient, including DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-methane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone when it is necessary to be outdoors.
• Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are more active. Clothing should be light-colored and loose-fitting and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.
• Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair.
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure and to protect infants when outdoors.

WNV-infected mosquitoes are thriving in the current warm weather and high humidity, according to Philip Armstrong, the top scientist at CAES.

"We urge everyone to prevent mosquito bites by using insect repellent and covering bare skin, especially during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active," Armstrong said.

The CAES maintains a network of 108 mosquito-trapping stations in 88 municipalities throughout the state. Positive findings are reported to local health departments and on the CAES website.