MVCAC > Mosquito and Vector News

Study identifies how infection by Zika virus during pregnancy can affect the fetal brain

From EurekAlert
September 3, 2020

Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause severe abnormalities in the fetus, including malformations such as microcephaly. In a small proportion of cases, the disease may lead to miscarriage and perinatal death. A network of more than 30 Brazilian researchers set out to find the causes of these problems with the support of FAPESP and obtained important results after half a decade of hard work. A paper describing their findings has been published in the journal Science Signaling.

“We show for the first time what happens in the fetal brain affected by congenital Zika syndrome [CZS],” Helder Nakaya, who is the last author of the paper, told Agência FAPESP. Nakaya is a bioinformatics specialist, a professor at the University of São Paulo’s School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCF-USP), and a senior scientist at the Center for Research on Inflammatory Diseases (CRID), which is one of the Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers (RIDCs) funded by FAPESP.

West Nile Virus Found Near Lake Forest

From the Lake Forest Patch
September 3, 2020

LAKE FOREST, CA — Have you seen more mosquitoes than usual in Orange County this year? It is 2020, after all. Mosquito and Vector Control District officials have found the first sample of mosquitoes infected with West Nile Virus in Costa Mesa, prompting another warning Wednesday to residents to help with the battle against the pests by tipping out stagnant water around their homes and using insect repellent.

The sample of mosquitoes was collected Aug. 27 from Fairview Park in Costa Mesa and the batch tested positive for the virus on Friday, said Heather Hyland of the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District.

Two Orange County residents, including a child, have been infected with the virus so far this season, Hyland said. The infections occurred in Anaheim and Huntington Beach.

Central San Joaquin Valley man dies from Saint Louis Encephalitis virus, officials say

From The Fresno Bee
September 3, 2020

A Madera County man in his 90s died in August from the Saint Louis Encephalitis virus, the county health department reported Thursday.

The county said it is the first confirmed case of SLEV in California this year and the first in Madera County since 1976.

The health department, through preliminary testing, thought it was the West Nile virus before the test confirmed it was SLEV.

West Nile Virus: Mosquitoes Found Near Los Alamitos

From the Los Alamitos Patch
September 2, 2020

LOS ALAMITOS, CA — Have you seen more mosquitoes than usual in Orange County this year? It is 2020, after all. Mosquito and Vector Control District officials have found the first sample of mosquitoes infected with West Nile Virus in Costa Mesa, prompting another warning Wednesday to residents to help with the battle against the pests by tipping out stagnant water around their homes and using insect repellent.

The sample of mosquitoes was collected Aug. 27 from Fairview Park in Costa Mesa and the batch tested positive for the virus on Friday, said Heather Hyland of the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District.

Two Orange County residents, including a child, have been infected with the virus so far this season, Hyland said.

More mosquitoes test positive for WNV

From the Antelope Valley Press
September 1, 2020

PALMDALE — Mosquitoes collected from various mosquito traps in Palmdale have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). The traps were located near 6th Street East and Avenue R, 20th Street East and Avenue S, and 25th St. East and Avenue R-6.

“So far we have sent in 92 mosquito samples this year, nine of which have been positive for West Nile virus”, District Entomologist Karen Mellor said. “At this time last year, we had five West Nile virus positive samples that were all in Lancaster.”

Mosquito control is a shared responsibility between the District and the residents. Keeping the mosquito population low will reduce the chances of disease transmission and the entire community will benefit from less mosquitoes.

West Nile virus is an endemic in the Antelope Valley. This means that it is regularly found in the Antelope Valley every mosquito season.

LA residents encouraged to avoid mosquito-borne threat of West Nile virus

From the Daily Bruin
August 31, 2020

Los Angeles County residents should take precautions against a disease spread by mosquitoes, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said.

West Nile virus, a virus transmitted to humans by a mosquito bite from an infected mosquito, can invade the central nervous system and be deadly. Symptoms of infection vary from mild fever and rashes to paralysis and coma. People and animals are susceptible to the virus.

There has been one WNV-related death and five cases of WNV this year in LA County, according to the LACDPH. 35 people have contracted WNV in California, according to the California Department of Public Health. Last year, there were 29 cases and 3 deaths in LA County.

Less than 1% of people infected with WNV have severe symptoms, while about 10% of people with severe symptoms die, said Paul Allyn, an infectious disease specialist at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

Chino mosquitoes test positive for West Nile Virus

From Champion Newspapers
August 29, 2020

The West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District detected the presence of West Nile Virus in a collection of five mosquitoes trapped near Mountain Avenue and Satterfield Way in Chino on Aug. 18.

It is the first detection of West Nile Virus in the boundaries of the District this year, said community outreach coordinator Brian Reisinger

The District includes Chino, Chino Hills, Montclair, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, and Upland.

The virus was found in the native Southern House mosquito, not the aggressively biting Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes that are bothering residents.

West Nile Virus can be transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito, he said.

Up to 20 percent of people who become infected will have symptoms that could include body aches, fever, headaches, nausea, and vomiting, according to the California West Nile Virus website.

Eighty percent of infected people develop no symptoms.

Higher risk for West Nile virus in Brentwood after more dead birds, mosquitoes test positive

From KRON4
August 29, 2020

BRENTWOOD, Calif. (BCN) – More birds and trapped mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus were found recently in Contra Costa County and vector control officials say there’s currently an elevated risk for the virus in the city of Brentwood.

Five of six dead birds testing positive were picked up in Brentwood, the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District said Friday. The remaining bird was found in Antioch.

In addition, six groups of mosquitoes testing positive were found in Palm Tract near Knightsen, Discovery Bay, and Brentwood.

Although the risk is higher for Brentwood, the virus isn’t restricted to that area, according to Steve Schutz, the district’s scientific program manager.

“Residents countywide should be taking precautions against mosquito bites,” said Schutz. “We appreciate members of the public reporting dead birds – this helps our agency identify where the virus hot spots may exist.”

First human West Nile virus cases in Merced County traced to the City of Merced

From the Merced Sun-Star
August 28, 2020

Merced County’s first confirmed human West Nile virus infections of the year were traced to the City of Merced, according to Merced County Mosquito Abatement District news release.

The two infected individuals, both women aged 60-80, likely contracted the disease in mid-August, according to the Merced County Department of Public Health.

As of Aug. 21, human West Nile virus cases tally 27 in California. The disease is most typically transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.

‘Ankle-biter’ mosquito now a permanent resident of Kern

From Bakersfield.com
August 28, 2020

One benefit Bakersfield has long enjoyed — a benefit millions of Americans do not have — has been the ability to take a walk on a spring or summer evening, or sip a drink on an unprotected porch, without being “eaten up” by swarms of mosquitoes.

Residents who have moved here from places like New Hampshire or Florida, Louisiana or Georgia, are thrilled to learn they have more freedom to be outdoors in arid Kern County.

But recent changes to the mosquito population in the southern San Joaquin Valley could force residents to get serious about spraying on mosquito repellant along with their perfume or aftershave.

“The Aedes aegypti mosquito is also known as the yellow fever mosquito,” Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District spokesman Terry Knight said at a news conference held Thursday at the district headquarters.

“It’s nickname is the ankle-biter.”

Study uncovers key elements of Zika virus impacts on immune systems

From the Valley News
August 26, 2020

The mosquito-borne Zika virus can defeat a person’s immune system by drilling into the cellular defenses needed to combat diseases, according to research by a pair scientest from University of California Riverside.

Jikui Song, biochemistry professor of University of California Riverside, and virologist Rong Hai were joined by researchers from University of California Los Angeles in producing a study on Zika virus’s microlevel interactions, published in the most recent edition of Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

Key elements of the research spotlighted how Zika pathogens damage a person’s immune response by penetrating defender cells known as interferons.

“Suppressing host immunity is a common strategy employed by viruses to achieve successful infection,” Song said.

Two invasive mosquito species found in Shasta County

From KRCR 7 News
August 26, 2020

SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. — Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District (SMVCD) identified two species of invasive mosquitoes on Wednesday.

While responding to an initial report of the invasive Aedes aegypti (Yellow Fever Mosquito), SMVCD staff found and identified the Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger Mosquito).

SMVCD says the Asian Tiger Mosquito was found near a central Shasta County neighborhood west of Highway 273 and Market Street, and north of Lake Boulevard.

The California Department of Health confirmed the invasive species detection.

Asian tiger mosquito, another new species that can carry Zika virus, yellow fever, discovered in Redding

From the Record Searchlight
August 26, 2020

A second invasive mosquito species has for the first time been discovered in Shasta County, the Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District announced Wednesday.

Larvae from the Asian tiger mosquito were found in standing water at a Redding neighborhood near Highway 273/Market Street and north of Lake Boulevard.

The California Department of Public Health confirmed the detection of the invasive species in the county.

Aedes aegypti mosquito frequently biting Kern County residents

From KGET
August 26, 2020

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – La Thao, with Kern Mosquito and Vector Control, joined 17 News at Sunrise to explain why the aedes aegypti mosquito is biting residents across Kern County, causing frequent bites on ankles.

Thao suggests people dump standing water sources and scrub the containers to mitigate the mosquito presence in their yards. People are also advised to use repellent with DEET in it and reapply it often as the mosquito likes bite several times.

Although the mosquito will most likely slow down in cooler weather, it is expected to come back in the spring.

Breakthrough in eliminating dengue, other mosquito-borne diseases

From the Berkeley News
August 26, 2020

A 27-month trial in Indonesia of a unique method of mosquito control shows that the strategy can reduce the incidence of dengue — a mosquito-borne viral disease of the tropics that threatens nearly half the world’s population — by 77%.

The method, which employs Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected by bacteria called Wolbachia, effectively prevents dengue-infected mosquitoes from passing on the virus when they bite people. The study, the preliminary results of which were released today (Wednesday, Aug. 26), looked only at dengue, but the mosquito control strategy may likely work for other viruses carried by A. aegypti mosquitoes, including Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever.

“It is a huge breakthrough,” said Nicholas Jewell, a Professor of the Graduate School at the University of California, Berkeley, who designed the study and led the statistical analysis. “We’ve now shown that it works in one city. If this can be replicated and used widely, it could eradicate dengue from several parts of the world for many years.”

High temperatures and summer rain increase West Nile virus

From the Lake County News
August 24, 2020

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The recent high temperatures and unusual summer rain have created an opportunity for mosquitoes and West Nile virus to thrive.

This year, five samples of mosquitoes collected in Lake County tested positive for West Nile virus, according to the Lake County Vector Control District.

The WNV-positive mosquito samples were collected near Clearlake Oaks, Lower Lake, Middletown, and Upper Lake (2); all were Culex tarsalis (western encephalitis mosquito), Vector Control said.

“Both mosquito and West Nile virus activity increase when the overnight temperatures are 60°F or warmer,” said Jamesina Scott, Ph.D., district manager and research director of the Lake County Vector Control District. “With so many other things happening, like the fires and COVID-19, many people don’t think about mosquito-borne illnesses. Mosquitoes cannot transmit coronavirus, but they transmit West Nile virus. The best way to protect yourself is avoid mosquito bites. If you plan to be outside when mosquitoes are active, apply an effective repellent that contains Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or DEET.”

West Nile Virus confirmed in dead bird and mosquitoes in Contra Costa County

From The Press
August 24, 2020

The Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District (District) reports a dead bird and a group of mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) in Contra Costa County. The dead bird was picked up in Martinez and the mosquitoes were collected from traps in an agricultural area east of Knightsen. This is the first bird and second group of mosquitoes to test positive for WNV so far this year in Contra Costa County.

Certain types of birds may carry WNV, When a mosquito bites an infected bird, the mosquito can become infected and transmit WNV to another bird or a person through a mosquito bite.

The discovery of one dead bird and infected mosquitoes in the middle of a heatwave, is an important reminder that hot weather can increase the risk of WNV transmission, according to the District’s Scientific Program Manager Steve Schutz, Ph.D.

Rare St. Louis Encephalitis virus found in mosquitoes in San Joaquin County

From Recordnet.com
August 23, 2020

St. Louis Encephalitis has been discovered in San Joaquin County, and the San Joaquin County Mosquito & Vector Control District asks the public to take precautions and protect themselves from mosquito bites.

The SLE virus was found in a group of collected mosquitoes in ZIP code 95240, which includes Lodi, Victor and Lockeford.

“This is the first find of St. Louis Encephalitis in San Joaquin County since a human case identified in 1973,” said Aaron Devencenzi, a spokesman for the district.

Day-biting mosquitoes that can carry yellow fever, Zika virus spread to Yuba City

From The Sacramento Bee
August 19, 2020

Aggressive day-biting mosquitoes that can transmit yellow fever, Zika, dengue and other serious illnesses have been in traps set in Yuba City, public health officials announced Wednesday.

”Our goal is to control and eliminate this mosquito population.” said Stephen Abshier, the manager of the Sutter-Yuba Mosquito & Vector Control District. “We are doing everything we can to help ensure this mosquito does not become established in our communities.”

Abshier reported that the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were collected Friday morning and identified on Tuesday. His team is trying to evaluate the extent of the infestation and will work to eliminate it.

The Worst Animal in the World

From The Atlantic
August 19, 2020

or about a week this past September, I adopted a wellness routine that—at the time—felt like neurotic overkill. I didn’t bother with masks or hand sanitizer; back then, the virus we now know as SARS-CoV-2 was still presumably nestled in the warm body of an unknown animal. Instead, each morning, I spritzed my arms and legs with picaridin, a chemical repellent meant to ward off parasitic bugs. Then I covered myself with one of several increasingly crusty sets of khaki pants and long-sleeved shirts that I had infused with the insecticide permethrin. Only then, force field up, would I venture outside.

I had come to Dakar, Senegal, to get close—but not too close—to Aedes aegypti, a globally invasive mosquito that is arguably the worst animal in the world. The species carries yellow fever and dengue, both of which can cause more severe disease in young adults than SARS-CoV-2; Zika virus, which can lead to birth defects; and chikungunya virus, which can leave victims with debilitating joint pain.

Mosquitoes in Lancaster test positive for West Nile virus

From the Antelope Valley Press
August 19, 2020

LANCASTER — Mosquitoes collected from a mosquito trap in Lancaster tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). The trap was located near Division and Lancaster Boulevard. This is the third positive West Nile virus detection within District boundaries for the 2020 season.

“Once again, we want to reach out to the community and remind them of the importance of practicing personal mosquito control measures,” District Manager Cei Kratz said. “Mosquito control is a shared responsibility between the District and the residents. This detection of additional West Nile virus positive mosquito samples reinforces the importance of keeping the mosquito population low. The entire community will benefit from less mosquitoes and less chances of mosquito-borne diseases, such as West Nile virus.”

Hot and Humid … Now Mosquitoes?

From NBC 7 San Diego
August 19, 2020

It seems like the plot of a ripped-from-the-headlines episode of “TheTwilight Zone”:

A pandemic hits, then people shut themselves away inside homes and businesses. In Act 2, a heat wave rolls in, and, with it, rolling blackouts. In the final act, too hot to stay indoors, people wander outside, where, in the dark, lurks another invisible pest. And the Easter egg lying in wait as the credits roll? The bugs attack in daylight too!

Ok, maybe we’re being a little dramatic, but some are saying that there are MOSQUITOES in San Diego this year, and they’re really biting.

‘Calm all the buzz,’ RI DEM says of alleged Asian giant hornet sightings

From 10 WJAR
August 19th, 2020

If you’re in Rhode Island and think you spotted a giant Asian hornet, which is also known as the “murder hornet,” environmental experts are asking you not to get too worried.

“Calm all the buzz,” the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management noted in a tweet Wednesday.

“There’s little risk of them being present in RI in 2020,” according to DEM. “Chances are you’ve spotted a local look-a-like that are not a threat to wildlife or our ecosystem.”

DEM noted that there are several native wasps in the state.

Mosquitoes Carrying St. Louis Encephalitis Virus Found In Lodi

From CBS Sacramento
August 18, 2020

LODI (CBS13) — Mosquitoes carrying St. Louis Encephalitis (SLE) virus have been discovered in Lodi.

It’s the first instance of the virus in San Joaquin County since a human case nearly 50 years ago.

Symptoms of the SLE virus include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and tiredness. Officials say the SLE virus is in the same family as the West Nile Virus, which is very active in the San Joaquin County mosquito population.

The San Joaquin County Vector Control District is now urging residents to protect themselves from mosquitoes. They say the higher temperatures cause the mosquito life cycle to speed up and increase the replication of the virus within their bodies.

Mosquitoes that can transmit yellow fever, Zika have spread to Turlock and Ceres

From the Modesto Bee
August 18, 2020

Mosquitoes that can carry yellow fever, Zika and a few other diseases have turned up in Turlock and Ceres, officials said Tuesday.

The finds came about a year after this species, Aedes aegypti, made its first known appearance in Stanislaus County. That was in Modesto and Newman. No diseases have been reported in California.

The latest detections were by the Turlock Mosquito Abatement District. It takes in the part of the county south of the Tuolumne River, along with the West Side.

Heatwave Causing Spike In West Nile Virus Mosquitoes In Sacramento Valley

From the Sacramento Patch
August 17, 2020

DAVIS (CBS13) — Vector control is warning that the sustained hot weather is causing mosquito populations to multiply – with West Nile virus activity now seeing a spike.

The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District announced on Monday that mosquito samples tested from around the area are starting to show increased West Nile activity.

Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile Virus

From the San Francisco News
August 17, 2020

CONTRA COSTA—On Friday, August 14, the Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District announced that they found a group of mosquitoes that tested positive for the West Nile Virus near Byron in Contra Costa County.

According to Steve Schutz, the District’s Scientific Programs Manager said in a statement:

“August and September are the peak months for human cases of West Nile virus. Dead birds, especially crows and jays, are often a good early indication that West Nile virus is present in a particular area. Birds can be carriers of West Nile virus.”

The statement noted that two people died after contracting West Nile, and 66 people have been diagnosed with the virus in Contra Costa County since 2005. West Nile Virus causes fever, which is mostly transmitted by Culex, one of the mosquito species.

New mosquito that can carry Zika and yellow fever found in Shasta County

From the Record Searchlight
August 17, 2020

The first known mosquitoes with the potential to carry such diseases as Zika and yellow fever has been discovered in Shasta County.

The first mosquito was found Friday in a trap north of Lake Boulevard and west of North Market Street, also known as Highway 273, according to the Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District.

The mosquitoes, known as Aedes aegypti, have been found in other areas of California, but the recent finding in Redding marks a first for Shasta County, according to mosquito district manager Peter Bonkrude.

Mosquitoes Found Near Byron Test Positive for West Nile Virus

From NBC Bay Area
August 15, 2020

Mosquitoes trapped earlier this week near Byron tested positive for West Nile virus, Contra Costa County vector control officials said Friday.

The infected mosquitoes are the first sign of the virus so far this year in the county, where August and September are usually the peak months of West Nile cases in humans, according to the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District.

Residents are urged to prevent the insects from breeding by dumping and draining any standing water on their property and to report neighborhood mosquito issues including neglected swimming pools.

Yellow fever mosquito found at Visalia Cemetery

From the Sun Gazette
August 12, 2020

VISALIA – Leaving flowers at the grave site of a lost loved one is an important part of the grieving process. Unfortunately, the standing water left in flower containers can lead to the spread of a serious diseases.

The Visalia Public Cemetery District announced last week that more than two-thirds of the flower containers at grave sites that had standing water contained mosquito larvae for Aedes aegypti, an invasive mosquito that is known to carry and transmit several human diseases including dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika.

UCR Researchers Uncover How Zika Virus Impacts Immune System

From The Patch
August 12, 2020

RIVERSIDE, CA — The mosquito-borne Zika virus can defeat a person’s immune system by drilling into the cellular defenses needed to combat diseases, according to research by a pair of UC Riverside scientists.

UCR biochemistry professor Jikui Song and virologist Rong Hai were joined by researchers from UCLA in producing a study on Zika’s micro-level interactions, published in the most recent edition of Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

Key elements of the research spotlighted how Zika pathogens damage a person’s immune response by penetrating defender cells known as interferons.

First Human, Travel-Related West Nile Case Virus of 2020 Reported in San Diego County

From NBC Los Angeles
August 12, 2020

A man from Alpine has been confirmed to be the first person in San Diego County in 2020 to test positive for the West Nile virus, the County Health and Human Services announced Wednesday.

The California Department of Public Health confirmed the case on Aug. 11. after the man, 61, was hospitalized and tested for the virus. He has since recovered.

Health officials said the man had traveled to Yuma, Arizona, where it is believed he had contracted the virus.

There have been only three human cases of West Nile virus in San Diego County in 2019 and two in 2018, County officials said.

Mosquitoes in Santa Clara County test positive for West Nile virus

From KRON 4
August 11, 2020

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) – Officials said West Nile virus has been confirmed in adult mosquitoes collected in a limited area of Los Altos Hills.

According to the County of Santa Clara Vector Control District, the mosquitoes were collected from portions of the 94022 zip code.

Mosquito control treatment has been scheduled in the area for Thursday, Aug. 13 at 10 p.m. and will last about three hours.

Alameda County’s first West Nile virus case of 2020 confirmed in Dublin

From pleasantonweekly.com
August 11, 2020

A dead bird found in Dublin last week tested positive for West Nile virus, marking the “first indication of active virus transmission” in the county this year, the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District announced.

According to the district, the body of an American crow was recovered on Aug. 5 from the 6800 block of Ash Court in the city of Dublin, less than a half mile from Valley High School. Results from tests conducted at the district laboratory on Aug. 7 were positive for the virus.

More than 90 cases of West Nile — which is spread to humans and animals through the bite of an infected mosquito and has no cure — have been reported in California this year. The majority of them are dead birds (81) and 10 humans, plus 675 mosquito samples.

Child Tests Positive for West Nile Virus Infection in Orange County

From NBC Los Angeles
August 10, 2020

A child who tested positive for West Nile Virus is the first person to be infected this year in Orange County, officials reported Monday.

The child, whose age and identity are protected, was diagnosed sometime last week and was hospitalized but is expected to recover, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. This was the first time this year a person in the county has been infected.

The state has reported 10 people infected statewide so far in 2020.

County officials said a total of seven people contracted West Nile in the area last year.

Researchers develop system to monitor and forecast the environmental suitability of transmission of Zika, dengue fever and chikungunya

From Outbreak News Today
August 6, 2020

Researchers led by Columbia University’s International Research Institute for Climate and Society and the Pan-American Health Organization have developed a system to monitor and forecast the environmental suitability of transmission of Zika, dengue fever, chikungunya and other diseases carried by species of Aedes mosquitos in the U.S. and neighboring regions.

Their results show that the forecasting skill of the new system is very good, with ‘hotspots’ of higher skill in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

The team published its findings in Scientific Reports.

The new system, called AeDES (https://aedes.iri.columbia.edu), is expected to help public-health authorities identify at-risk areas at least a month ahead of time, improving response and planning operations.

California Horse Confirmed With WNV

From The Horse
August 6, 2020

On Aug. 3, California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) officials confirmed the state’s second case of West Nile virus (WNV) in a horse in 2020. The affected horse, a 2-year-old Quarter Horse colt from Stanislaus County, began showing neurologic signs on July 28. Those signs included falling, fore- and hind-limb ataxia (incoordination), and knuckling. The horse, which was unvaccinated, is reported as recovering.

West Nile Virus found in Davis

From the Davis Enterprise
August 6, 2020

West Nile Virus is in Davis.

Dead birds found July 30 and Aug. 2 have tested positive for the virus, as have multiple mosquitos found throughout Yolo County, the local vector control district announced on Wednesday.

“We are closely monitoring and keeping an eye on the city of Davis since (West Nile) has been detected within city boundaries and in the surrounding areas,” said Gary Goodman, manager of the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.

“While temperatures have cooled off significantly this week, we are still in the middle of summer and conditions are right for mosquitoes to continue breeding and posing a threat for disease transmission,” said Goodman.

Warming climate may bring more West Nile outbreaks to Southern California

From Berkeley News
August 5, 2020

As climate change heats up the weather in Southern California, coastal populations from San Diego to Santa Barbara may face an increased risk of contracting West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases, suggests a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

West Nile virus is America’s deadliest mosquito-borne disease and has been a threat to the Los Angeles metropolitan area since it arrived in 2003. The virus is harbored by mosquitos and birds and is most commonly spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.

The study team analyzed data on nearly 2 million mosquitoes that had been captured and tested for West Nile in Los Angeles between 2006 and 2016. They then used machine learning to identify the landscape and climate conditions that influenced mosquito infection in different neighborhoods.

New System Tracks and Forecasts Outbreak Risk of Dengue and Zika

From State of the Planet
August 4, 2020

Researchers led by Columbia University’s International Research Institute for Climate and Society and the Pan-American Health Organization have developed a system to monitor and forecast the environmental suitability of transmission of Zika, dengue fever, chikungunya and other diseases carried by species of Aedes mosquitos in the U.S. and neighboring regions.

Their results show that the forecasting skill of the new system is very good, with ‘hotspots’ of higher skill in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

The team published its findings in Nature Scientific Reports.

The new system, called AeDES, is expected to help public health authorities identify at-risk areas at least a month ahead of time, improving response and planning operations.

Murder Hornets Could Spread Across U.S. and Establish Permanent Presence, Experts Say

From Newsweek
August 4, 2020

Asian giant hornets have the potential to spread across the United States and establish a permanent presence in the country, experts have told Newsweek.

The hornet species—the world’s largest—is native to eastern and southern portions of Asia, however, the insect was detected in British Columbia, Canada in September 2019, and subsequently, across the border in a single county of Washington state in December of that year.

“I suspect if they are not stopped in Washington they will spread across the more temperate regions of the United States—basically, any place that approximates where they are already established, and, as they are closely related to our paper wasps, probably where those are established too,” Marc Lame, clinical associate professor at Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, told Newsweek.

West Nile Virus Detected in San Gabriel Valley

From NBC Los Angeles
August 3, 2020

Mosquitoes in Pomona tested positive for West Nile virus, officials with the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District announced Monday.

After discovering the presence of the mosquito-borne disease in a routine test, control officials encouraged residents to take action now to prevent an outbreak from spreading in their communities.

“West Nile virus is endemic, which means we’ll detect it every year in our communities,” said SGVMVCD Scientific Program Manager Melissa Doyle. “As the season heats up, everyone should take the necessary steps to prevent mosquito bites and eliminate stagnant water around their home.”

Aedes mosquitoes biting and breeding

From Champion Newspapers
August 1, 2020

The “Aedes” mosquitoes are aggressively biting residents leaving behind red marks that are itchy and sometimes painful.

The black mosquitoes with distinctive white bands on their bodies are considered “invasive” because they can potentially carry diseases such as West Nile Virus, Zika and others.

The good news is that there have been no cases of West Nile Virus as of July 24 in the boundaries of the West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District even though the activity and spread of the mosquitoes is on the rise.

The District includes Chino Hills, Chino, Ontario, Montclair, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga and county areas.

Brian Reisinger of the District said the mosquitoes are small-container, backyard breeders that bite day and night.

West Nile-Carrying Mosquitoes Netted in Nuevo

From NBC Los Angeles
July 31, 2020

Mosquitoes netted in Nuevo tested positive for West Nile virus, but there were no immediate plans to start pest control spraying in the area, Riverside County health officials said Friday.

A batch from a collection site in the area of Orange Street and Reservoir Avenue bordering Mystic Field was confirmed to be carrying WNV, according to the Department of Environmental Health.

The agency has netted numerous West Nile-carrying mosquitoes in that same general area in summers past. Department of Environmental Health spokeswoman Dottie Merki said the mosquitoes were caught on July 21, and testing by a vector control lab verified on Thursday that they were WNV positive.

Research shows how Zika virus succeeds in protecting key parts of its genome

From News Medical Life Sciences
July 30, 2020

To fight viruses, cells can deploy defence enzymes that progressively destroy viral genome strands starting from one of the two strand ends. However, this degradation mechanism is not effective against epidemic viruses such as Zika. In fact, the defence enzyme jams at precise points of the viral genome, which put up a strenuous resistance by assuming “defensive” conformation. This is how the virus succeeds at protecting important pieces of its RNA inside infected cells, as demonstrated by a recent study coordinated by SISSA of Trieste and published in the journal Nature Communications.

Although the capability of some viruses, such as those responsible for Zika infection, dengue or yellow fever, to generate RNAs resistant to the attack from the cellular machinery was already known, the scientists have discovered and explained in this study the mechanistic rationale behind the phenomenon using computer simulations. Some parts of the viral RNA strand react to the progressive enzymatic degradation, which starts from one particular end of the strand, by assuming an extremely compact form.

West Nile virus found widespread throughout Butte County

From ABC7
July 31st, 2020

BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. — Butte County has confirmed seven mosquito pools and two sentinel chicken have tested positive for the West Nile virus (WNV).

Mosquitoes carrying the virus have been found widespread throughout Butte County on the valley floor, according to the Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District.

Officials say mosquitos carrying the virus have been collected from the southern area of Butte County (Honcut) as far north as west Chico.

Study Reveals How Different Mosquitoes Respond to Light

From Pest Control Technology
July 30, 2020

IRVINE, Calif. – In a new study, researchers found that night- versus day-biting species of mosquitoes are behaviorally attracted and repelled by different colors of light at different times of day. Mosquitoes are among major disease vectors impacting humans and animals around the world and the findings have important implications for using light to control them.

The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine-led team studied mosquito species that bite in the daytime (Aedes aegypti, aka the Yellow Fever mosquito) and those that bite at night (Anopheles coluzzi, a member of the Anopheles gambiae family, the major vector for malaria). They found distinct responses to ultraviolet light and other colors of light between the two species. Researchers also found light preference is dependent on the mosquito’s sex and species, the time of day and the color of the light.

No, that’s not a murder hornet, unless you’re a cicada. What you should know about the other ‘killer’ wasps you’re seeing lately

From The Morning Call
July 28, 2020

That song from “The Lion King” about the circle of life is catchy enough, but it doesn’t mention the gigantic wasps that paralyze cicadas with a venomous sting, drag them into an underground burrow and lay eggs on their bodies so the babies have something to eat when they hatch.

For the cicada, that’s one lousy circle. For the wasp — the eastern cicada killer, a 2-inch-long creature with black and yellow stripes and the tongue-twisting Latin name Sphecius speciosus — it’s just good parenting.

Cicada killers are beginning to make themselves evident because annual cicadas are beginning to emerge. People who have never seen them before are, understandably, disconcerted, wondering if Pennsylvania has been invaded by the hot new insect horror of this dystopian year — the Asian giant hornet, better known as the murder hornet.

Dead Bird Found In Benicia Tests Positive For West Nile Virus

From Benicia Patch
July 28, 2020

SOLANO COUNTY, CA — A bird found in the city of Benicia tested positive for West Nile virus, county officials said Tuesday.

The bird, a California Scrub-Jay, was collected July 12 in eastern Benicia, according to officials with the Solano County Department of Health and Social Services Public Health division and the Solano County Mosquito Abatement District.

“This marks the official start of West Nile virus season in Solano County,” said Dr. Christine Wu, the county’s deputy health officer. “This is an important reminder for residents to take the necessary precautions to avoid coming in contact with mosquitoes, such as using insect repellent when outside and eliminating standing water where mosquitoes can breed.”

2,000+ reports of potential Asian giant hornets sent to Washington Department of Agriculture

From King5
July 23, 2020

WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — The buzz about Asian giant hornets in Washington might have died down, but the process to track them is still very much alive.

Over 2,000 potential sightings of the invastive hornets have been reported to the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) over the past few months.

Almost all of them turned out to be false reports.

“99.9% of the time the answer is no. People are learning a lot, not about Asian giant hornets, but about other insects that are out there,” said Karla Salp, WSDA Public Engagement Specialist.

The insects most commonly confused for Asian giant hornets are bald-faced hornets, yellow jackets, bumblebees and ten-lined beetles.