After the rain comes the bite

Dave Brooks and Andrew Edwards

As if the winter storms weren’t bad enough, health officials are

concerned that the rains this year will provide ample breeding

grounds for mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus.

Mosquito populations are already up substantially from last year,

when 64 people became infected with West Nile and another four died,

Orange County Vector Control District spokesman Michael Hearst said.

The mosquito season, which usually doesn’t begin until mid-spring, is

well underway. Health officials are finding West Nile-infected

mosquitoes months ahead of when signs normally surface.

“We’re expecting a pretty severe mosquito season -- there’s no way

around that. What we’re not sure of is how that translates into West

Nile,” said Hearst.

Health officials have already found three dead birds with the

disease in Orange County. No human cases have been reported locally,

but one person in Los Angeles County has been diagnosed with the

virus.

The birds were found in Anaheim and Orange, but since birds and

mosquitoes fly around, finding a bird in one city does not mean

nearby cities are not at risk, Hearst said.

Mosquitoes need only seven days to hatch in still water. Hearst

said the heavy rains have made puddles out of everything, and many

urban areas could become breeding grounds for the insects.

“People are concerned about the wetlands and marshes, but those

are areas we already know about,” he said. “One of the biggest

problem areas is backyards -- areas that collect water.”

Around the Back Bay, vector control assigns workers to hack away

at tall grasses that could cause water flowing into the bay to

stagnate and provide breeding space for disease-carrying mosquitoes.

“What we do is just keep the channels open,” Hearst said.

The water is also treated with a pesticide made from a chemical

produced by bacteria, Hearst said. The chemical is believed to only

affect mosquito larvae.

The No. 1 preventive measure against West Nile is to install

window screens, Hearst said. People should also take care of standing

water around their homes and wear insect repellent. Officials believe

repellents containing DEET are particularly effective, though there

are alternatives on the market.

Costa Mesa has a hotline to alert city workers to standing water

problems on public property, said Bill Morris, director of public

services. The number is (714) 754-4994.

In Newport Beach, residents can call the general services

department at (949) 644-3055 to report standing water problems,

general services director Dave Niederhaus said. The city has a

six-month backlog on concrete gutter repairs, so Niederhaus

recommended that residents who spot minor problems use a broom to

brush out puddles, in addition to reporting them.

West Nile first reached the West Coast about two years ago. It is

spread to humans by mosquitoes, which contract the virus by feeding

on infected birds. People cannot catch the illness from birds, and

the disease is rarely fatal for humans.

“Symptoms only show up in about 15% to 20% of those infected, so

there could be a lot more people walking around with the disease than

we realize,” said vector control agent Robert Cummings.

West Nile is usually fatal in only elderly victims and individuals

with weak immune systems.

To report dead birds, call Orange County Vector Control at (714)

971-2421.