COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) is reminding residents and visitors to Northern Arizona to take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito-borne illnesses.
The abundance of rain during monsoon season has increased mosquito activity.
The CCPHSD Environmental Health mosquito surveillance program monitors, traps and tests mosquitoes to determine if diseases are present. They also identify species of mosquitos and provide mosquito control education in Coconino County.
Mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus have been a public health focus and emerging vector-borne diseases such as Zika virus are increasing in concern. West Nile virus is the most commonly occurring mosquito-borne disease in Arizona. This mosquito-borne virus can cause symptoms ranging from mild flu-like symptoms to severe neurological symptoms. Culex mosquitoes are the main carriers of West Nile virus and are commonly found throughout Arizona. These mosquitoes tend to bite from dusk to dawn.
Zika virus is a mosquito-borne disease that is caused by a virus that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. Zika virus can also spread from a mother to a child during pregnancy or birth, through sexual transmission and, in rare cases, from blood transfusions. This mosquito is also know to transmit dengue fever and chikungunya virus. The Aedes mosquito hasn’t been located in Coconino County. However, it has been identified in warmer areas of Arizona.
Zika virus outbreaks are occurring in multiple countries and mosquito transmitted cases in the United States have been reported in Florida. To date, the only mosquito transmitted cases of Zika virus reported in Arizona have been from people who have traveled to Zika infected areas.
The recent outbreak, which was first identified in Brazil, led to reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome (a condition which can cause muscle weakness, or when severe, paralysis and often follows a viral or bacterial infection). Also, women were giving birth to babies with birth defects and experiencing other adverse pregnancy outcomes. Additional information is available at https://www.cdc.gov/zika/pregnancy.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to prevent these illnesses is to avoid mosquito bites. To prevent mosquito bites wear long pants, long-sleeved shirt, shoes, socks and use mosquito repellent. Repellents containing DEET and Picaridin as the active ingredients typically provide extended protection. More information on repellents is available at http://cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/Repellentupdates.htm.
It is also important to mosquito-proof your home by installing or repairing screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes outside. Help reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home by emptying standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires and birdbaths regularly.
These preventive measures should be continued until cold weather returns and mosquito activity lessens in the fall.
For more information call the Coconino County Public Health Services District at 928-679-8750 or toll free 1-877-679-7272.