September 02, 2008
Update on West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease Activity in Onondaga County
Onondaga County Health Commissioner, Cynthia Morrow, MD, MPH announced today that the New York State Health Department has provided new information about West Nile Virus activity and about Lyme disease in Onondaga County this week.
West Nile Virus: The state laboratory has reported finding evidence of West Nile virus in a mosquito pool collected on August 19, 2008. These mosquitoes were collected from a trap in the Town of Lysander at Three Rivers. The type of mosquito testing positive is a Coquilletteidia perturbans, a mosquito known to bite humans. There have been no human cases of West Nile virus reported in Onondaga County this year.
Although the mosquito numbers have been low this year, Morrow stated that residents should be "vigilant about using personal protection measures to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Equally as important, is to keep your yard free from standing water because this may create a breeding ground for mosquitoes to multiply".
Lyme Disease: The New York State Department of Health's regional office has been conducting studies of ticks in Onondaga County. Approximately 31% of adult deer ticks that were collected late last year at Green Lakes State Park recently tested positive for the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Studies from ticks collected this year are ongoing. Because adult ticks are typically active until mid-October, Onondaga County residents should continue to be aware of the presence of deer ticks that cause Lyme disease. So far this year, the Health Department has reported 53 cases of Lyme disease, most of which are locally acquired. Cases remain concentrated in the Fayetteville-Manlius area although there are reports of cases in other areas of Onondaga County.
Preventive measures: It is essential to control mosquitoes and ticks around your home and on your body by following these precautionary measures:
§ Get rid of standing water around your home
§ Repair or replace broken screens and install new screens as needed
§ Remove leaf litter and clear tall grasses and brush around your home
§ Keep playground equipment, decks, and patios away from yard edges and trees
§ Avoid wooded areas with high grass and leaf litter where ticks prefer to live
Personal protection is advised during outdoor activities. Personal protection measures include wearing shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when outside for a long period of time. Applying a repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, and IR3535 is recommended to prevent mosquito bites. To keep ticks off your skin and clothing, use an insect repellent containing 20% -30% DEET. (Follow manufacturers instructions on proper use). Permethrin, a tick repellent that kills ticks on contact, can be used on clothing to decrease the risk of tick exposure.
For more information about West Nile virus and Lyme disease as well as personal protection measures or to report a dead bird, contact the Onondaga County Health Department, Division of Environmental Health at 435-1649 or visit www.ongov.net /Health.
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