As spring arrives, Georgians treasure the amazing azaleas and
dogwoods but dread those menacing mosquitoes. After last year’s
outbreak of West Nile Virus in Georgia, many are fearing the
biting problem.

“The 2001 mosquito season was one of the most eventful mosquito
seasons in recent memory,” said Elmer Gray, a University of
Georgia Extension entomologist.

West Nile Virus Ready

“The rapid and widespread occurrence of the West Nile Virus this
past summer,” he said, “is one of the most interesting and unique
occurrences in the entomological field in a long time.”

Since its discovery in the New York City area during the summer
of 1999, WNV has spread from Ontario, Canada to the Florida Keys,
most places in between and some beyond. While many experts
predicted the disease’s spread, it would have been hard to
predict how fast it would spread last summer.

Fortunately, the Georgia Department of Agriculture had already
begun the Georgia West Nile Task Force before the disease
arrived, Gray said.

“The task force had members from most of the primary parties that
could and would end up being affected by the disease,” he said.
“Little did any of the participants realize that Georgia would
become a focal point for WNV by midsummer 2001.”

Main Mosquito-borne
Diseases

Before WNV showed up in Georgia, the state’s main mosquito-borne
diseases had been Eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis
encephalitis and LaCrosse encephalitis.

“While each of these diseases can be serious, debilitating and
even deadly, they’re fortunately relatively rare,” Gray said.

Since 1964, Georgia has had only 41 confirmed cases of Eastern
equine encephalitis (23), St. Louis encephalitis (5) and LaCrosse
encephalitis (13).

The latest figures show that seven people died from West Nile
Virus in 2001 in the United States. One of them was in Georgia,
where six cases were reported. In three years nationally, the
virus has killed 16 people, or 11.5 percent of the 139 human
cases reported.

Horses have been severely affected, with many U.S. cases and a
mortality rate of about 23 percent. A vaccine has been rushed to
market that should help reduce the risks to horses.

“Considering these numbers and the fact that there were six human
cases of WNV in Georgia in 2001, it may pose a more serious
mosquito-borne risk than we have had before,” Gray said.

“Unfortunately,” he said, “the surveillance and reporting of all
of these diseases has been inconsistent and poorly supported
during the time frames reported. With the arrival of WNV into
Georgia, it’s more important than ever that the accurate and
timely reporting of all mosquito-borne diseases be conducted.”

Integrated Mosquito
Control Important

The risk of WNV and the other mosquito-borne diseases can be
reduced if everyone supports comprehensive and integrated
mosquito control, he said. This includes education, surveillance,
source reduction and, when warranted, using insecticides to kill
larvae and adult mosquitoes.

“Often, mosquito production occurs around our homes and
properties as a result of a lack of information or diligence,”
Gray said. “Mosquitoes develop in standing water. By reducing the
amount of standing water, the number of adult mosquitoes that
could possibly transmit disease can be reduced.”

No one knows what this year’s mosquito disease season will
hold.

“But considering the lengthy drought Georgia has had,” Gray said,
“when normal rains return, increased mosquito populations are
sure to follow. Considering the new threat presented by the WNV,
suppressing our state’s mosquito populations has never been more
important.”

For the latest information on mosquito control, contact your
county Extension Service office.