Homepage ... 2000-2005 Column Index ... 1995-1999 Column Index

Date: May 16, 2003
Author: Pamela Emery
Contact: Tom Wickersham

As the weather warms up, outdoor adventures like early morning walks and evening bicycle rides are an integral part of spring and summer activities.

However, people are not the only residents who enjoy the spring. Mosquitoes do, too. Mosquitoes feed during the dawn and dusk hours. What do mosquitoes feed on? Most people know the answer: blood.

You will have a chance to learn more about these pesky creatures and how they are controlled during a talk by mosquito expert Susan Maggy of the Sacramento and Yolo County Mosquito Vector Control.

Maggy's lecture will focus on the West Nile Virus which has made its way to the East coast in 1999 and is anticipated to arrive in California, via mosquito, within a relatively short time. Health officials say the question is not will this virus arrive in the Sacramento area, but rather, when will it arrive?

Find out what area officials are doing to prepare for this disease at Maggy's lecture "West Nile Virus Update" on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The lecture is the final installment of the 2002-03 Cutting Edge of Science Lectures, which are free and take place at the Davis Branch Library.

West Nile Virus is a flavivirus, a member of a family of insect-borne diseases that includes dengue, yellow fever, and St. Louis encephalitis. Its arrival in the U.S. is new, but it is common in other parts of the world including Africa and West Asia. In addition to humans, birds, horses and a few other mammals are susceptible to West Nile Virus.

Research has shown that the route of human infection with West Nile virus is through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on other infected animals, where the virus is still circulating in the blood. Eventually, the virus makes its way into the mosquito's salivary glands, making the mosquito ready to infect humans and animals when it feeds off them.  

Most people who are infected by the West Nile virus will not have any type of illness. According to the Center for Disease Control, it is estimated that twenty percent of the people who become infected will develop West Nile fever with the symptoms of a mild fever, headache, body aches, and sometimes a skin rash. Less than one percent of the population may have a severe infection, which can be quite serious and sometimes fatal.

For over 24 years, Maggy has worked in the area of mosquito control and is currently the public health education coordinator of the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.

As you are outdoors enjoying the spring weather, take a few minutes to help reduce the propagation of mosquitoes and to protect yourself from its pesky bite.

* Empty the free-standing water in the trays of potted plants.
* Fix holes in window screens.
* Keep doors to buildings closed.
* Where long sleeved shirts while doing outdoor activities during early morning and dusk hours when mosquitoes are more active. Many cool long sleeved shirts are available at sporting goods stores.
* Change the water in birdbaths and pet water bowls regularly.

Explorit recognizes and thanks Novozymes Biotech Inc. for its continuous support of Cutting Edge of Science Lecture Series.


--------------------------------------------------------------------

Explorit Science Center is at 3141 5th Street in East Davis. The current exhibition is "What's the Buzz? Insects around Us," which continues through June 8. Public hours are Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday from 1 to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.explorit.org or call Explorit at (530) 756-0191.