West Nile virus, which is a form of mosquito-borne encephalitis, has been confirmed by laboratory results, according to Dr. Bernard Eichold, Health Officer for the Mobile County.
“The public should assume that there are mosquitoes carrying the disease throughout Mobile,” Eichold said. “Don’t let your guard down.” The risk of encephalitis spread by mosquitoes is highest from August through the first freeze in the fall, he said.
Health officials warned that it's extremely important that people taking part in outdoor activities take every effort to reduce their exposure to mosquitoes and should keep mosquito repellent with them at all times when outdoors. Mosquito activity peaks at dusk and again at dawn.
West Nile virus is transmitted from bird to mosquito to bird. Mosquitoes can spread these viruses by feeding on the blood of infected birds and then biting another host animal or mammal such as a human or a horse.
Although humans and horses can become ill from the infection, the diseases cannot be spread from people or horses. The likelihood of transmission to humans and horses can be decreased by personal mosquito avoidance and the use of a WNV and EEE vaccine in horses. There is no vaccine available for humans.
For more than 20 years, the Mobile County Health Department’s Vector Control Division has been monitoring encephalitis in sentinel poultry flocks strategically placed throughout the county to detect the presence of viruses carried by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes also are trapped throughout the county and tested for WNV, EEE and St. Louis Encephalitis.
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