The Daily Mail Online

CATSKILL — Now that the rains have stopped, the mosquitoes are out in full force.

With all the rain in recent weeks, a lot of pesky mosquitoes are being experienced to folks who spend any time outdoors here in Greene County. With the mosquitoes comes the threat of the dread West Nile Virus.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the emergence of West Nile Virus in 1999 in four U.S. states, beginning with New York State, was followed by its spread to 12 states by 2000. As late as 2000, motorists in Utah were warned by roadside signs of dangers of the disease in that state. Shortly after that, West Nile Virus had already made its way as far west as California.

Early in the history of West Nile virus’ impact on North America, the disease was observed in birds and humans. It is known, say CDC officials, as “an enzootic cycle established between birds and mosquitoes.”

In fact, health officials warned anyone spotting a dead bird on their property to notify them immediately and to not touch the bird. Bird deaths due to the virus, they report, are “unusual outside North America.

The disease is characterized by meningoencephalitis and myocarditis and has been. detected in a number of mosquito genera in North America.

With the recent and nearly continuous rains over the past weeks in Greene County, the area has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes breed in standing water and health officials warn everyone to empty out containers where water is standing. One place, often overlooked, where water stands, is in empty tires and that becomes the perfect place for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.

Prime mosquito time in New York is during the summer and into the warm fall months prior to freezing. The first big freeze usually sees the end of mosquito season.

West Nile Virus symptoms include, in mild infections, fever, headache and body aches, which are often accompanied by a skin rash and swollen lymph nodes.

More severe infections are less common. More severe infections are marked by headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor (sleepiness), disorientation, coma, tremors, occasional convulsions, paralysis and, rarely, death.

Death rates range from three to 15 percent. Death rates are higher in the elderly.

To avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, CDC recommends the use of products containing active ingredients which have been registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA), for use as repellents applied to skin and clothing. EPA registration of repellent active ingredients indicates the materials have been reviewed and approved for efficacy and human safety when applied according to the instructions on the label. CDC evaluation of information contained in peer-reviewed scientific literature, and in data available from EPA, has identified several EPA registered products that provide repellent activity sufficient to help people avoid the bites of disease carrying mosquitoes. Products containing these active ingredients typically provide reasonably long-lasting protection include DEET, (chemical name: N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide or N,N-diethly-3-methyl-benzamide); Picaridin, (chemical name: 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperidinecarboxylic acid 1-methylpropyl ester ); Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus or PMD, (chemical name: para-Menthane-3,8-diol) the synthesized version of oil of lemon eucalyptus and IR3535, (chemical name: 3-[N-Butyl-N-acetyl]-aminopropionic acid, ethyl ester)

EPA characterizes the active ingredients DEET and Picaridin as “conventional repellents” and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, PMD, and IR3535 as “bio-pesticide repellents,” which are derived from natural materials. For more information on repellent active ingredients see (http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/mosquitoes/ai_insectrp.htm).

Reader Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of TheDailyMail.net .

InquiringMind wrote on Aug 27, 2008 3:28 AM:

" If you're smart,always question what the official story
says. I had a front row seat at the outset of the supposed first WNV outbreak in NY, in Queens, Sept.99.
What I witnessed was that the media used a lot of scare tatics, repeating that 8 people had died of "encephalitis", meanwhile, no hard evidence was produced to link that the encephalitis did indeed come from an infected mosquito. None the less, this was used as the reason for dosing the entire 5 boroughs of NYC with MASSIVE and I mean MASSIVE amounts of dangerous pesticide for the entire month of Sept, sprayed non stop on some days for almost 5 hours, from HELICOPTERS and Trucks with hoses, choking our air with no agreement from us ! (Pesticide:Malathion, the same one used in CA in 94 which caused many pregnant woman to have malformed babies and was then OUTLAWED in CA.after the PEOPLE SUED the Govnmt.)
In NYC, NO dead birds were found anywhere PRIOR to the toxic SPRAYING,
the SPRAY is what caused the bird deaths, and deaths of many thousands of fish in local lakes too. Thousands of fish weren't killed by mosquitos,but by POISON SPRAY ! NOt to mention all the respiratory illness in People that was caused ! also, PESTICIDE EXPOSURE can cause Flu-like symptoms, but they blamed WNV. I had not seen a single mosquito in Queens in '99 prior to this so-called West Nile Virus outbreak,
which my research tells me was really an excuse to try out their new spray on us.
YES, question the official "story" cause frequently it IS a story,
as in FICTION. Google, Dangers of Malathion, and ask yourself what you'd rather deal with, I'd pick mosquito. "

Submit a Comment

Registered users:

Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login? (requires cookies)

Not a member yet? Sign up now!
TheDailyMail.net requires users to register before commenting on stories but it's quick and it's free, so what are you waiting for?!

Do not use usernames or passwords from your financial accounts!
Note: Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required!

Create a Member ID:

*Choose a password:

*Re-enter password:

E-mail Address:

Year of Birth:

(children under 13 cannot register)

First Name:

Last Name:

Company:

Home Phone:

Business Phone:

Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code: