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First in '08: West Nile in Georgia
 Since first being discovered in the U.S. in 1999, the West Nile Virus (WNV) has quickly spread across the U.S. Mirroring the national trend the number of cases spiked in 2002-03 but fell in following years. Here in GA we saw an increase in the number of cases last year, and the peak of the season is now upon us as August and September are the two most susceptible months for transmission.
The Department of Health continually monitors WNV in GA by testing and tracking for the virus in humans, horses, birds and mosquitoes. Earlier this month, the likely first case was discovered in a trapped mosquito at Frankie Allen Park in Buckhead. Each year WNV is found throughout Georgia, but now is the time when people need to take particular care when outdoors.
Most often mosquito populations are found near standing pools of water which is unfortunate since most enjoy spending time with friends and family at the many beautiful lakes and parks scattered around the metro area. When working or playing outdoors over the next 30-45 days it is increasingly important to use insect repellent. For those concerned with DEET, Herbal Armor offers a DEET free combination of oils that provides excellent protection against mosquitoes and other biting insects. The Center for Disease Control and Environmental Protection Agency lists Oil of Citronella, the primary active ingredient in Herbal Armor, as a biopesticide (derived from plants) that works by masking natural human odors that biting insects use to identify hosts. In addition to the use of repellents, people should remove all standing water from their property and ensure that screen doors and windows are in good working order, well fitted and not torn or damaged. Long sleeved and better covering clothing are also good ideas, and reporting the discovery of dead birds to your local and state health departments helps track WNV on a local level.
West Nile generally causes serious illness in roughly 1 out of every 150 people that contract the virus, but as we saw in the outbreak of cases of encephalitis in 2002-03 it is always best to err on the side of caution. By taking a few preventative measures we can all work to reduce the spread of West Nile in our communities. Posted by Kevin on Tuesday, August 19, 2008
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