Mosquito tests positive for the West Nile virus

By Chad Cain
Staff Writer

Published on August 29, 2008

NORTHAMPTON - The West Nile virus has buzzed its way into the city, and the state Department of Public Health is urging residents to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites from now until the region's first frost this fall.

The DPH announced Aug. 20 that a mosquito trapped in Northampton Aug. 17 tested positive for West Nile.

The test comes on the heels of a host of positive West Nile tests in mosquitoes and crows in several communities throughout the month of July and August.

It's the second confirmed case of the disease in Hampshire County, following the Aug. 7 report of a dead crow found in Belchertown that tested positive for the virus.

"We are now seeing West Nile move into the western part of the state, so it's very important for people to take precautions," said Donna Rheaume, a spokeswoman for DPH.

West Nile, first identified in 1999, is a mosquito-carried virus that can cause illness ranging from a mild fever to more serious disease like encephalitis or meningitis. The majority of the people who are infected will have no symptoms, according to a state fact sheet.

This year's heavy rainfall has been heaven-sent for mosquitoes, who are breeding in far greater numbers than last year when the weather was much drier, said Rheaume.

This has led to a number of positive West Nile tests statewide, and for the first time this week the state has confirmed a positive mosquito sample of eastern equine encephalitis in the town of Carver. No human cases of either disease have been reported. There were six human cases of West Nile last year and none of eastern equine encephalitis. "We have no human cases of West Nile or eastern equine encephalitis in the state this year, so we really want to stress prevention," Rheaume said. The positive tests in Northampton and Belchertown were the first reported cases of West Nile virus in Hampshire County since 2003, when 18 birds in Amherst, Northampton, Easthampton, Belchertown, Granby, South Hadley, and Southampton tested positive for the virus.

, according to the department's arbovirus surveillance online data.

The virus mainly infects birds, horses, bats, chipmunks, rabbits, dogs and cats, but can also affect humans. The most common source of human infection is through the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus can be fatal to humans - some 124 people in the United States died from it last year, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Rheaume said residents should expect to take precautions until the first frost kills the mosquitoes.

The DPH advises people to use insect repellent whenever possible to avoid all mosquito bites. Any sort of standing water should also be drained to prevent mosquito breeding. Residents are also urged to inspect their window screens for holes. Other tips include scheduling outdoor events to avoid the hours between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active, wear long pants, socks and a long-sleeved shirt whenever possible.

Chad Cain can be reached at ccain@gazettenet.com.