Fort Bliss Monitor

West Nile Virus hits area

MAJ. CYNTHIA BENDA
Preventive Medicine Service, WBAMC

West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne virus that was first seen in the United States in 1999. Last year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 34 human cases of West Nile Virus in the El Paso area.
Due to ongoing surveillance measures, the first pool of mosquitoes harboring the WNV was detected at Fort Bliss Golf Course and McGregor Range earlier this week. Fort Bliss immediately implemented aggressive measures to decrease the mosquito population and eliminate their breeding sites.

People become infected with WNV by the bite of an infected mosquito. It is not transmitted from person to person, which means you cannot get WNV by touching or kissing someone with the virus. According to the CDC, less than 1 percent of mosquitoes are usually infected. In addition, less then 1 percent of individuals who are bitten by an infected mosquito develop serious illness. Therefore, the chances of becoming seriously ill are very small.

The elderly, very young, and people with compromised immune systems are more susceptible to the virus. Most humans infected by the WNV have either no symptoms or experience flu-like symptoms such as: fever, headache and body aches. Additional symptoms may be tiredness, skin rash and swollen lymph glands.
How do you reduce your risk of becoming infected with WNV?

Remember the four D’s:

Dawn and Dusk: Minimize outside activities when mosquitoes are most active.

DEET: Wear insect repellant containing DEET on all exposed skin and clothing. Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and loose-fitting clothing to prevent mosquito bites.

Drain: Eliminate all standing water where mosquitoes can breed. Repair tears in screens or doors where mosquitoes can gain entrance.

For more information regarding WNV call 1st Lt. Cletis Butler or Staff Sgt. Mark Monroe, Preventive Medicine, WBAMC, Bldg 7304 at 569-3492/3619.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	July 29, 2004

<map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	West Nile Virus hits area MAJ. CYNTHIA BENDA Preventive Medicine Service, WBAMC West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne virus that was first seen in the United States in 1999. Last year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 34 human cases of West Nile Virus in the El Paso area. Due to ongoing surveillance measures, the first pool of mosquitoes harboring the WNV was detected at Fort Bliss Golf Course and McGregor Range earlier this week. Fort Bliss immediately implemented aggressive measures to decrease the mosquito population and eliminate their breeding sites. People become infected with WNV by the bite of an infected mosquito. It is not transmitted from person to person, which means you cannot get WNV by touching or kissing someone with the virus. According to the CDC, less than 1 percent of mosquitoes are usually infected. In addition, less then 1 percent of individuals who are bitten by an infected mosquito develop serious illness. Therefore, the chances of becoming seriously ill are very small. The elderly, very young, and people with compromised immune systems are more susceptible to the virus. Most humans infected by the WNV have either no symptoms or experience flu-like symptoms such as: fever, headache and body aches. Additional symptoms may be tiredness, skin rash and swollen lymph glands. How do you reduce your risk of becoming infected with WNV? Remember the four D’s: Dawn and Dusk: Minimize outside activities when mosquitoes are most active. DEET: Wear insect repellant containing DEET on all exposed skin and clothing. Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and loose-fitting clothing to prevent mosquito bites. Drain: Eliminate all standing water where mosquitoes can breed. Repair tears in screens or doors where mosquitoes can gain entrance. For more information regarding WNV call 1st Lt. Cletis Butler or Staff Sgt. Mark Monroe, Preventive Medicine, WBAMC, Bldg 7304 at 569-3492/3619.