In recent weeks, the Vermont towns of Rockingham and Springfield have had mosquito pools that have tested positive for West Nile virus. While West Nile virus rarely causes people to get sick, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is very rare, officials are recommending that people take necessary precautions to not get bit.
According to information provided by the Vermont Department of Health, between Aug. 18 and 24, Springfield and Rockingham were among towns where five mosquito pools tested positive for West Nile virus. This was out of a sample size of 354 pools. Between Aug. 25 and 31, 501 pools were tested and 10 came back positive. This included a positive test in Rockingham. There has been a total of 53 mosquito pools that tested positive for West Nile virus this year.
The report showed that there were zero reports of EEE however, despite it being reported previously by other outlets that this was the case. However, this was reportedly done in error by the Bellows Falls Village Fire Department, and Vermont Department of Health spokeswoman Katie Warchut confirmed that it was actually West Nile virus.
“Mosquitoes in Rockingham and Springfield have tested positive for West Nile Virus,” Warchut said. “Most people with West Nile virus don’t get sick, but some get symptoms like fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. West Nile illness can be serious in some people; individuals 50 years and older are at the highest risk.”
According to the Vermont Department of Health, the West Nile virus is most commonly spread through mosquito bites. The virus circulates between mosquitoes and birds, and people can be infected when mosquitoes feed on infected birds and bite someone.
People are “dead-end hosts,” as they don’t develop levels high enough in their bloodstream, and can’t pass on the virus to other mosquitoes. It is also rarely transmitted from person-to-person. However, someone diagnosed with West Nile virus infection should not donate blood or bone marrow for 120 days after being infected.
There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat the disease in people. It is reportedly subclinical in about 80% of people.
West Nile virus has reportedly been found in all counties of Vermont and continues to be detected in mosquitoes on a yearly basis. However, people rarely get sick, as eight out of 10 people infected do not develop symptoms. One in five people who are infected develop a fever and/or symptoms listed previously by Warchut. Most people recover quickly, but it can take weeks or months for fatigue and weakness to disappear.
There is the chance of severe illness for people of any age, but people over 60 are at the greatest risk if infected. People with medical conditions like cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease and those receiving organ transplants are at highest risk. One out of 10 people who develop severe illness affecting the central nervous system die.
Warchut said that there are preventative measures that can be taken to prevent both illnesses, and it starts with taking steps to stop from being bit by mosquitoes in the first place. It starts with limiting the amount of time you are spending outdoors at dawn and dusk, as these times are most prevalent.
Another way to avoid being bit is by using an EPA-registered insect repellent that is labeled to be effective against mosquitoes.
She also said it is a good idea to wear longsleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
Clothing and gear are recommended to be treated with permethrin, which is an insecticide specifically for killing or repelling mosquitoes.
Baby carriages and outdoor playpens should be covered with mosquito netting, and any holes in screens should be fixed. Warchut also recommends making sure screens are tightly attached to doors and windows.
Since standing water is the top location for mosquitoes to breed, it is recommended to get rid of any standing water around the home.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is also an illness to look out for involving mosquitoes and poses a much larger threat as about 30% who contract it will die. Survivors may end up with neurological problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A 41-year-old Hampstead, NH, man, Steven Perry, reportedly died at the end of August after being diagnosed with the state’s first human case of EEE in a decade. According to NBC 10, Perry was previously healthy with no underlying conditions. On Aug. 12, he was hospitalized with severe central nervous system disease and died on Aug. 19.
EEE has been found in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts this summer. In Vermont there have been 75 cases this year, and nine pools found in the towns of Whiting, New Haven, Colchester, Alburgh and Swanton between Aug. 25 and 31. There have been no reported cases in the Eagle Times coverage area.
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