West Nile virus has been detected in mosquitoes
West Nile virus has been detected in mosquitoes in Hamilton County, according to local health officials.
The virus is the most common mosquito-borne virus in the United States, according to a news release from the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department. Milder symptoms can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Severe symptoms can include coma or paralysis. It’s transmitted though the bite of an infected mosquito.
Bonnie Deakins, director of environmental health sciences, said that while West Nile isn’t new to the area, it’s a reminder that mosquito bites are not harmless.
“About 1 in 5 of those infected will develop a fever and other symptoms, while about 1 in 150 could develop serious illness,” she said in a statement Monday.
There is no vaccine to prevent West Nile Virus. The most effective prevention against West Nile Virus or any mosquito-borne disease is by protecting against mosquito bites “from the body outward,” the release states. Starting at the skin, use EPA-approved insect repellents, wear clothing that covers skin, use screens on windows and doors, eliminate or reduce standing water around your home where mosquitoes breed and take precautions when traveling overseas.
The health department has been trapping mosquitoes to monitor for other mosquito-borne diseases, as well, including chikungunya, Zika and La Crosse Encephalitis, the release states. Lab testing of the trapped mosquitoes is performed by Tennessee Department of Health laboratories. The trapping
program is funded by a grant from the Tennessee Department of Health as part of a statewide monitoring program.
From 2012-2017, seven cases of West Nile Virus were reported to the health department. During the same time, 82 cases were reported across Tennessee.
For more information, visit the Tennessee Department of Health or call the Environmental Health Services division at 423-209-8110.