抖阴ap

Prime-time mosquito season looms two months away, but the insects that carry the potentially deadly West Nile virus are close to hatching in some areas.

“Some may already be flying,” Mike Doyle of the Larimer County Health Department said late last week.

To get a jump on the two types of culex mosquitoes that harbor West Nile, crews in several counties – including Larimer, Weld, Jefferson, Mesa and Boulder – have begun monitoring breeding sites. If they find immature disease-carrying mosquitoes, they douse the water with larvicide. Doyle said testing a week ago in Larimer County revealed larvae that were a few days away from taking flight.

Weather conditions – with rain followed by heat – will determine when mosquitoes will hatch by the millions and how intense this year’s season will be, experts said.

“Nobody knows for sure, but West Nile will come back, and we could have a big year,” said Jim Dale of the Jefferson County Department of Public Health and Environment.

July through September is the peak mosquito season. By July, said John Pape of the state health department, “we will start to have a feel for how good or bad a year it will be.”

Insect-borne viruses can come in waves, peaking in some years such as 2003, when Colorado recorded nearly 3,000 West Nile cases, and receding to 106 cases in 2005.

The virus can cause meningitis, encephalitis and severe neurological problems.

West Nile first appeared in the U.S. in New York City in 1999 and has spread west. Nationwide as of last year, there were at least 16,800 human cases and about 660 deaths.

Pape noted there was a resurgence last year in Cook County, Ill., where West Nile erupted a year earlier than its 2002 arrival in Colorado. West Nile also intensified last year in South Dakota after waning the two prior years.

West Nile managed to cross the Continental Divide in 2003 and hit a peak on the Western Slope in 2004.

“It’s here to stay,” said Kristy Westerman, a spokeswoman for the health department in Mesa County, where mosquito traps have been set out since April. “It’s considered a seasonal epidemic.”

Certain birds – crows, ravens, magpies and jays – are the usual West Nile carriers. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. The virus is passed on when mosquitoes bite mammals, such as horses or humans.

Colorado residents can report sightings of sick, dying and dead birds to help health officials monitor potential carriers. They may call the Colorado Health Emergency Line for the Public at 1-877-462-2911.

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Fight the bite

Recommended now:

Clean leaves out of gutters to remove small pools of water.

Lay sod and plant grass seed to reduce watering during mosquito prime time of July and August.

Use drought-resistant plants to cut watering.

Trim back weeds, grasses and shrubs to eliminate mosquito habitat.

Replace screens on windows and doors.

Eliminate low spots that collect water.

Five “D” precautions recommended during the summer until the first frost:

Drain – Empty water weekly out of potential outdoor breeding sites such as tires, cans, flower pots, gutters, toys, rain barrels and puddles.

DEET – Use insect repellent that contains DEET, Picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Follow label directions carefully.

Dress – Wear long- sleeve shirts and long pants while outdoors.

Dawn & Dusk – Avoid mosquitoes by staying indoors at dawn and dusk when they are active.

Visit www.fightthebitecolorado.com.Source: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment