A mosquito in Madisonville tested positive for West Nile virus, the first confirmed detection in Cincinnati this year.
Health officials found the mosquito through their routine surveillance for mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus, in which they trap and test mosquito samples from neighborhoods throughout the city.
Once a sample tests positive, officials notify residents in the neighborhood and provide information on how to protect themselves.
“The steps you can take to prevent infection are straightforward and effective,” said Grant Mussman, the commissioner of the Cincinnati Health Department. “We want to make sure people know what to do, and do it now.”
Here’s what else you need to know about the virus.
What is West Nile virus?
West Nile virus causes an infection known as West Nile fever, the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States.
People contract the disease when they get bitten by an infected mosquito, usually during mosquito season, which begins in the summer and continues through fall.
While there are no vaccines to prevent the infection, or a known cure, most people infected with the virus do not feel sick. About one in five who are infected develop flu-like symptoms such as a fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash, which last a couple of days. One out of 150 infected develop brain swelling or meningitis.
Last year, health officials found 24 mosquito pools that tested positive with the virus, far above the average of six positive pools per year in the past decade. However, the Cincinnati area has not seen a confirmed human infection of West Nile virus since 2015.
How to make sure mosquitoes aren’t breeding in your backyard
Mosquitoes can breed in stagnant water and can do so in a quantity of water that’s as small as a bottle cap.
Here’s how to make sure your yard isn’t becoming a mosquito breeding bonanza:
How to protect yourself from mosquito bites
Protecting yourself from mosquito bites is the best way to prevent a West Nile virus infection.
Here’s what you should remember when you go outside this summer:
If you have any questions about mosquitoes, contact the Cincinnati Health Department’s Technical Environmental Services Unit at 513-352-2922.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: First West Nile virus found in Cincinnati this year
Reporting by Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
