From The Union Democrat
July 31, 2018

A person in Tuolumne County tested positive for West Nile virus last week, the first time the sometimes deadly mosquito-borne illness has been detected in a human locally since 2005.

Dr. Bob Bernstein, county health officer, said that staff from the county’s Public Health and Environmental Health departments are investigating how the person may have been exposed to a mosquito infected with the virus.

“This is a rare event in our county,” he said.

Bernstein noted that more people in the county could have come down with West Nile since the last reported case in 2005 and simply not have known it.

Symptoms of the disease are typically not worse than those of a common flu, if even that.

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From the Benicia Herald
August 1, 2018

The Solano County Mosquito Abatement District (Solmad) will be working to thin the mosquito population near Benicia State Recreation Area on Monday, the city announced.

Between 6 and 7:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 6, Solmad officials will be doing an area application of larvicide by helicopter on the south side of Interstate 780 running into Southampton Bay near the State Recreation Area. The park will be closed during this time, and advance notice will be given starting Friday. The goal is to diminish the number of mosquitoes who may be carrying diseases.

 In addition to causing severe annoyance and allergic reaction, mosquitoes found in California are capable of spreading many diseases to humans and animals including Chikungunya, Dengue, Filariasis (canine and feline heartworm), Malaria, Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE), West Nile virus (WNV), Western Equine encephalitis (WEE), Yellow fever and Zika,” the Mosquito Vector and Control Association of California (MVCAC) wrote in a statement. 

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From the Miami New Times
July 30, 2018

It’s been two years since Miami’s Summer of Zika, when everyone was freaked out about mosquitoes and your friends all canceled their trips to Florida. But although the public frenzy about the virus has since died down, dozens of Floridians are still being diagnosed with Zika. According to the Department of Health, at least 59 travel-related cases have been reported across the state so far this year.

Unfortunately, testing for Zika remains a somewhat lengthy process. Although very reliable, the commonly used urine test can detect the virus only two weeks after the onset of symptoms, and getting the results can take up to three weeks.

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From Lake County News
July 28, 2018

LAKEPORT, Calif. – One mosquito sample collected in Lake County has tested positive for West Nile virus this week, health officials reported Friday.

The mosquitoes, Culex tarsalis, or Western encephalitis mosquito, were collected in Lower Lake on July 26, according to the Lake County Vector Control District.

The district reported that this is the first detection of WNV in Lake County in 2018.

The Lake County Vector Control District traps and tests mosquitoes throughout the county to identify the areas that have the highest risk, and targets those areas for source reduction and treatment using an integrated vector management program. 

“The hot weather we’ve had this summer is perfect for both West Nile virus and mosquitoes to multiply quickly,” said Jamesina Scott, Ph.D., district manager and research director of the Lake County Vector Control District. “This is the first West Nile virus we’ve found in Lake County this year, and in most years, we continue to find West Nile virus into September.”

No other West Nile virus activity has been detected in Lake County yet this year. Statewide, 24 California counties have detected WNV this year, mainly in mosquitoes. Twelve human cases of West Nile virus illness have been reported in California residents this year. 

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From NBC Los Angeles
June 28, 2018

Summer is in full swing in Southern California, and after a brief early lull, so is the West Nile virus.

Mosquito samples collected in Sherman Oaks and Porter Ranch tested positive for the virus in the past week, the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District announced Saturday.

With only three positive samples this year – including one a week ago – the inevitable annual West Nile virus infestation is off to a slower start in 2018, the district said.

“Last year [at this time] we already had 43 positive samples reported,” district Director of Scientific Technical Services Susanne Kluh said in a statement.

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Press Release From Contra Costa MVCD
July 26, 2018

West Nile Virus Activity Increases with Prolonged Heat

From the Orlando Sentinel
July 26, 2018

Dr. Kenneth Alexander was driving home one day last year when he thought of the idea: what if the Zika virus could be used to kill a childhood cancer called neuroblastoma?

The Zika outbreak was in its third year and scientists had learned that the virus damages the nervous systems of unborn babies by destroying the developing nerve cells.

Those developing nerve cells also make up neuroblastomas.

So, Alexander, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Nemours Children’s Hospital, started brainstorming with a surgeon colleague and brought on board Dr. Griffith Parks, a University of Central Florida scientist who has been studying Zika.

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From Healio
July 25, 2018

The period during which Zika virus can be sexually transmitted is shorter than was estimated in the earliest studies published after the epidemic, according to results of a living systematic review published in PLOS Medicine.

“Zika virus (ZIKV) can be transmitted between humans through sexual contact, although it is most commonly transmitted by infected Aedes spp. mosquitoes,” researchers in Switzerland and the United States wrote. “Sexual transmission of ZIKV has important implications for public health, for people living in endemic regions, and sexual partners of travelers returning to nonendemic regions from endemic regions because ZIKV infection during pregnancy can cause congenital infection of the fetus and because ZIKV infection can trigger the immune-mediated neurological condition Guillain-Barré syndrome.”

A CDC spokeswoman told Infectious Disease News in April that the agency would re-evaluate its guidance for the prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus based on findings published in The New England Journal of Medicine that showed that men can sexually transmit the virus for only a short period of time — perhaps just a few weeks after they become ill. Asked for an update, the spokeswoman said she was not aware of any changes to the guidance.

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From The Mercury News
July 25, 2018

Parts of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara will be sprayed late Thursday night as part of a mosquito eradication effort to protect against the spread of West Nile virus.

The Santa Clara County Vector Control District scheduled the 11 p.m. truck-mounted mosquito control treatment after determining that a sampling of adult mosquitoes near Sunnyvale and Santa Clara had tested positive for the virus.

West Nile virus is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes and can cause mild to severe flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache and body ache. In severe cases, the virus can cause significant neurological damage and even death, according to the district.

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The incidence of tickborne infections in the United States has risen significantly within the past decade. It is imperative, therefore, that public health officials and scientists build a robust understanding of pathogenesis, design improved diagnostics, and develop preventive vaccines, according to a new commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine from leading scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Bacteria cause most tickborne diseases in the United States, with Lyme disease representing the majority (82 percent) of reported cases. The spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi is the primary cause of Lyme disease in North America; it is carried by hard-bodied ticks that then feed on smaller mammals, such as white-footed mice, and larger animals, such as white-tailed deer. Although there are likely many factors contributing to increased Lyme disease incidence in the U.S., greater tick densities and their expanding geographical range have played a key role, the authors write. For example, the Ixodes scapularis tick, which is the primary source of Lyme disease in the northeastern U.S., had been detected in nearly 50 percent more counties by 2015 than was previously reported in 1996. Although most cases of Lyme disease are successfully treated with antibiotics, 10 to 20 percent of patients report lingering symptoms after effective antimicrobial therapy. Scientists need to better understand this lingering morbidity, note the authors.

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Press Release From Coachella Valley MVCD
July 25, 2018

Mosquito-borne virus activity intensifies in the East Valley, truck-mounted control planned in Mecca.

INDIO, CA, JULY 25, 2018: The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District detected West Nile virus (WNV) activity for the first time in Thermal in 2018 and continued activity of St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) in Mecca. Mosquitoes trapped in downtown Mecca tested positive for SLEV, the first mosquito-borne virus activity detected in an East Valley residential community this year.

In Mecca, mosquitoes collected from a trap near Lincoln Street and 65th Avenue and from a trap near Colfax Street and 72nd Avenue tested positive for SLEV. The mosquitoes that tested positive for WNV came from a trap in Thermal near Pierce Street and Avenue 70.

This brings the number of WNV-positive mosquito samples to 11 and the number of SLEVpositive mosquito samples to 11 for 2018. Last year at this time the District had detected 69 WNV-positive mosquito samples and no SLEV-positive mosquito samples. All mosquitoes were tested at the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District laboratory.

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From The Sacramento Bee
July 23, 2018

In an effort to target and kill mosquito populations, aerial spraying will take place Monday and Tuesday nights in areas with intense West Nile Virus activity within the Sacramento region.

The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District has planned for spraying to begin at 8 p.m. both nights.

Luz Robles, a spokesperson for the district, answered questions from The Bee about the spraying.

Here’s what you need to know.

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From the Tracy Press
July 23, 2018

A jump in the number of mosquitoes found with West Nile virus in San Joaquin County has brought new warnings from the San Joaquin County Mosquito & Vector Control District as the San Joaquin Valley heats up.

Aaron Devencenzi, a public information officer for the vector control district, said the number of mosquito samples testing positive for West Nile virus had increased by more than 10 times within three weeks.

From The Sacramento Bee
July 20, 2018

As concerns grow over reports of intense West Nile virus activity in the Sacramento region, the city of Sacramento Department of Utilities may have unintentionally accelerated a localized increase of West Nile activity in the Pocket area.

The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District confirmed that a disruption in water flow from the Pocket Canal to the Sacramento River caused mosquitoes to proliferate in the area. Efforts by the city to apply an algaecide treatment to the Pocket Canal caused the water disruption.

As a result, water backed up into drain inlets in residential areas of the Pocket. The stagnant water within the basins acted as an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes during West Nile virus season.

With high activity in the area, aerial sprays for West Nile virus could occur next week, the vector control district announced Wednesday. The district is expected to decide Friday whether to spray over Pocket/Greenhaven, south Sacramento and Elk Grove.

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From KGET.com
July 20, 2018

BUENA VISTA LAKE, Calif. – A dangerous mosquito-borne virus has been detected at Buena Vista Lake, marking its first appearance in Kern County this season, according to the West Side Mosquito & Vector Control District. 

St. Louis Encephalitis Virus was detected in mosquito samples taken from a source near the lake, the district said. 

SLEV can cause “fever, headache, dizziness, nausea, and malaise,” as well as coma in extreme cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The overall fatality rate of SLEV is between five and 15 percent. 

Other symptoms include “stiff neck, confusion, disorientation” and “tremors and unsteadiness,” the CDC says. 

Technicians are “actively treating and monitoring the area” of Buena Vista Lake, the district said.  

The district is urging the public to take precautions against mosquitos while engaging in outdoor activities, and says peak mosquito activity occurs during dawn and dusk. 

People should use insect repellant containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3435, the district said. 

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From KRCRTV
July 19, 2018

REDDING, Calif. — 

The first two positive results for West Nile virus have been found in mosquito samples gathered in the northern Anderson and central Redding areas according to the Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District. 

The district is asking people to drain standing water in an effort to limit mosquito breeding areas. 

“Despite knowing that West Nile virus will be in Shasta County at some level for the foreseeable future, it is important that residents take these indicators seriously and do what they can to prevent mosquito bites,” Peter Bonkrude, District Manager of the Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District said in a statement.

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From Lodi News
July 18, 2018

San Joaquin County has seen its first human case of West Nile virus for 2018, according to Public Health Services.

A 51-year-old man living in Stockton was the first to be diagnosed this year and reportedly developed a mild form of the infection, and recovered fully without medical intervention.

From the Sun-Gazette
July 18, 2018

VISALIA – Residents of Visalia beware of the dangers lurking around standing water and other mosquito breeding grounds. The Tulare County Health & Human Services and the Delta Vector Control District are asking people to be vigilant against mosquito bites. According to the Delta Vector Control District, sampling from local mosquitoes has detected the St. Louis Encephalitis Virus (SLEV) and West Nile Virus (WNV). And while it has yet to be detected in Tulare County, mosquitoes also carry the Zika Virus.

Any container with as little as a few inches of water standing for more than three days is a potential mosquito breeding source. General areas affected by the virus are viewable on the Delta Vector Control District home page, www.deltavcd.com/ by clicking on the tab “Current Mosquito Collections.”

Of particular concern are these three illnesses that can occur after being bitten by a mosquito:

• West Nile Virus (WNV) – Although most individuals will experience no effects from WNV, symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, skin rash, and swollen lymph nodes, while more severe symptoms include disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, and paralysis.
• St. Louis Encephalitis Virus (SLEV) – SLEV is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, and most people have no symptoms or only mild, flu-like illness. However, especially in the elderly, SLEV can cause serious illness that affects the central nervous system.
• Zika Virus – Zika is a public health concern to individuals, especially pregnant women, traveling to areas where the virus is prevalent. It is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito or through unprotected sex with an infected partner. The mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus have been detected in an increasing number throughout California. The most concerning issue with the virus is that it can have detrimental effects on a pregnant woman’s developing baby.

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From the Santee Patch
July 18, 2018

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA – West Nile virus made its first appearance of the summer in San Diego County this week when a batch of mosquitoes in Santee tested positive for the viral infection, county officials announced Wednesday.

West Nile virus mainly affects birds, but it can be transmitted to humans by mosquitoes that feed off an infected animal and then bite people.

Officials said West Nile virus has been present in San Diego County since 2003. However, no people or birds — the main carriers of West Nile virus — have tested positive for the virus in the county this year.

Only about 20 percent of people who get infected with West Nile virus suffer any symptoms, though it can be deadly in rare cases. Symptoms are typically mild, including headache, fever, nausea, fatigue, skin rash or swollen glands.

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From MyNewsLA.com
July 18, 2018

More mosquitoes testing positive for St. Louis encephalitis have been located in the Eastern Coachella Valley, local vector control officials reported Wednesday.

Mosquitoes testing positive for the virus have been found in Mecca and North Shore, according to the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

Officials say that the positive samples were found in traps earlier this month near Grant Street and Avenue 71, as well as Johnson Street, near Avenue 70 in Mecca. In North Shore, officials collected positive samples from a trap near Cleveland Street and Avenue 72.

By this date last year, no positive St. Louis encephalitis samples had been found. This year, eight infected mosquitoes have been located in the Coachella Valley, all in Mecca and North Shore, according to the CVMVCD.

Helicopter spraying will be conducted in the evening hours, weather permitting from Monday to Wednesday in Mecca and North Shore.

The discovery also follows recent detections of West Nile virus in nine mosquitoes found in Palm Desert and Indian Wells, which led to increased mosquito spraying and trapping there.

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From The Orange County Register
July 18, 2018

Though the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District expects 2018 to be a “mild” year for West Nile virus, officials from the public health agency are nonetheless advising residents to do what they can to avoid getting bitten.

Orange County residents are encouraged to use mosquito spray; close windows and doors unless screened; and wear light-colored long shirts and pants as darker colors attract mosquitoes.

West Nile virus is transmitted to humans and animals by infected mosquitoes that feed on dead birds carrying the virus. According to the World Health Organization, about 80 percent of infected people will be asymptomatic, but some who contract the viral infection may experience flu-like symptoms such as headaches, fever, or joint and muscle aches.

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From La Mesa Patch
July 18, 2018

EAST COUNTY, CA – West Nile virus made its first appearance of the summer in San Diego County this week when a batch of mosquitoes in Santee tested positive for the viral infection, county officials announced Wednesday.

West Nile virus mainly affects birds, but it can be transmitted to humans by mosquitoes that feed off an infected animal and then bite people.

Officials said West Nile virus has been present in San Diego County since 2003. However, no people or birds — the main carriers of West Nile virus — have tested positive for the virus in the county this year.

Only about 20 percent of people who get infected with West Nile virus suffer any symptoms, though it can be deadly in rare cases. Symptoms are typically mild, including headache, fever, nausea, fatigue, skin rash or swollen glands.

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From the Daily Democrat
July 17, 2018

Elk Grove >> The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District continues to closely monitor areas throughout Sacramento County where West Nile virus activity has intensified over the last few weeks.

District officials reported that in Sacramento County, 95 mosquito samples and 49 dead birds have tested positive for West Nile virus to date and that Yolo County had four mosquito samples and four dead birds reported.

As a result, spraying for mosquitoes has been increased slightly. Areas of concern include Elk Grove as well as the Pocket and neighborhoods south of Fruitridge Road in Sacramento.

“We are seeing high levels of West Nile virus activity, we are very concerned and are evaluating aerial spraying,” said Gary Goodman district manager. Lab results received today showed an increase to the already widespread activity. In response to the ongoing West Nile virus activity, the District has intensified ground mosquito control treatments.

Field staff are working extended hours to inspect and treat many area parks, trails, creeks, drainage canals and other riparian corridors where mosquito populations are high.

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From The Guardian
July 17, 2018

The number of children dying in their first year of life has risen in Brazil for the first time since 1990.

It’s a worrying setback for a country once seen as a model of poverty reduction.

The infant mortality rate rose by nearly 5% between 2015 and 2016, an increase health officials and specialists have blamed on the outbreak of the Zika virus that year, as well as cuts to health services prompted by an economic crisis from which Brazil is struggling to recover.

Fatima Marinho, director of the non-communicable diseases department and information and analysis at the health ministry, said she expects the 2017 figures to exceed the 2015 levels.

“We are going backwards, not forwards,” Marinho said. “We cannot go on with the situation. Or we lose everything we have gained in 15 years.”

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From SCVNews.com
July 16, 2018

The Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District confirmed West Nile virus in a sample of mosquitoes collected from Panorama City (zip code 91402), the first confirmation of WNV activity in the district’s service area this year.

While this is only the first confirmation, it should serve as a strong reminder that mosquitoes throughout much of Los Angeles County are active, may be carrying West Nile virus, and can infect people if they bite.

Last year alone, the District collected 394 samples of mosquitoes confirmed positive for WNV.

“We find West Nile Virus widespread throughout the southland every year,” said Susanne Kluh, director of scientific technical services. “This is an annual risk and one residents must be aware of and take actions to prevent. We can’t do this alone.”

Many mosquito repellents are available to prevent bites, but they do not all work equally well. The Centers for Disease Control recommend products with the active ingredients DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus as being safe and effective against mosquitoes that can transmit disease when used according to the labels. Wearing loose-fitting long sleeves and pants can also help deter bites.

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From Phys.org
July 14, 2018

Entomologists at the University of California, Riverside have received a five-year grant of $2.44 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, or NIAID, to investigate the role hormones play in the female mosquito’s ability to use human blood for egg production. 

Vector mosquitoes need vertebrate blood to develop each batch of their eggs. As a result, reproduction in female mosquitoes is closely linked to blood feeding. The NIAID funding—a competitive National Institutes of Health grant renewal—will allow the entomologists to introduce novel research tools for genetic manipulation, such as CRISPR, in their exploration of the genetic basis for the hormonal control of mosquito reproduction. 

“A clear understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating egg development in mosquitoes can play a critical role in our coming up with innovative and novel vector control methods,” said Alexander Raikhel, a distinguished professor of entomology who will lead the project along with Sourav Roy, an assistant professional researcher who received his doctorate at UCR and joined the Raikhel lab in 2011. 

The research project, titled “Molecular Basis of Ecdysteroid Action in the Mosquito,” is expected to help Raikhel, Roy, and others in Raikhel’s lab identify targets that can block the reproduction of female mosquitoes, thereby resulting in significant declines in mosquito populations and the dangerous diseases they transmit. 

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From ABC10
July 13, 2018

As West Nile Virus activity surges in Sacramento County, it’s more important than ever to use mosquito repellent.

But which one should you use? It turns out, there’s a lot of myths around ways to repel the biting pests.

“A lot of people think that if you eat a lot of garlic, if you eat a lot of bananas, if you maybe put a bounce sheet in your pocket, that all of those things will keep mosquitoes away,” Luz Maria Robles with the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District explained.

So, do they work? Sorry, but according to Robles, no.

Another common remedy is citronella — an herbal oil found in lemongrass. Citronella candles are advertised as a natural alternative to repellents like DEET. But, although it’s natural, it doesn’t really work. A study in the Journal of Insect Science found it has no affect at all on banishing the bugs.

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From Action News Now
July 12, 2018

Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control announced Thursday that several mosquitos in Butte County are plagued with West Nile and the virus is now active in Butte County.

Groups of positive mosquitoes, known as a “mosquito pool,” collected in the areas of Honcut, Palermo, and Dayton have tested positive with the West Nile virus.

With increasing mosquito populations and the detection of West Nile virus within Butte County, the Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District urges residents to take all precautions necessary to drain any and all unneeded standing water, report any suspected mosquito-breeding sites and protect themselves from the bites of mosquitoes.

This is the first positive indicator of West Nile Virus in the county for 2018. West Nile Virus is active throughout the State of California.

“It’s imperative that county residents be aware that West Nile Virus is active and to avoid mosquito bites by whatever means necessary,” said Matthew Ball, District Manager for the Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District. “Residents are urged to do their part to prevent mosquitoes from breeding by inspecting and eliminating all standing water from their properties.”

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From the Visalia Times Delta
July 12, 2018

Delta Vector Control District officials recently found St. Louis Encephalitis and West Nile Virus in mosquitoes locally.

Tulare County Health and Human Services and Delta Vector staff are asking residents to avoid mosquito bites. 

“It is imperative that residents take the necessary precautions to prevent being bitten by mosquitoes and report any incidence of mosquito presence,” health officials stated.

Residents should be on the lookout for any “potential breeding grounds” around their home. Any container with as little as a few inches of water standing for more than three days makes for a good mosquito breeding source, health officials said.

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From KESQ
July 12, 2018

More mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus have been found in Indian Wells, the same city where local officials found 2018’s first positive detections of the virus among all Coachella Valley cities, the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District said today.   

The most recent detections were discovered in a trap near Fairway Drive and Cook Street, the same area where 2018’s first infected mosquitoes in the Coachella Valley were found last month.

Along with positive samples discovered in Palm Desert, eight positive samples total have been found in the Coachella Valley this year.   

Though vector control officials have increased trapping and surveillance in those cities, the desert was seeing a far higher rate of the virus last year, with 60 positive samples discovered by this time in 2017, 
according to CVMVCD.

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From the Sacramento Bee
July 12, 2018

West Nile virus activity is surging in Sacramento County, with the region now leading the state, officials say.

There is also greater and more localized activity this year compared to last year, said Luz Robles, public information officer for the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.

“Residents need to be vigilant, especially as we enter the hottest of the hottest weeks of the year,” Robles said, explaining that heat advances the life cycles of mosquitoes.

West Nile virus activity is defined by the number of dead birds and mosquito samples testing positive for the virus, Robles said. Sentinel chickens and horses testing positive would also be taken into consideration, but there have not been cases of either in California so far this year.

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From Recordnet.com
July 11, 2018

STOCKTON — The San Joaquin County Mosquito & Vector Control District will conduct aerial spraying with Trumpet EC today between 8:20 p.m. and 11 p.m., depending on weather, in areas of the rural Delta near the Shima, Wright and Rindge tracts, as well as in portions of the Canal Ranch, Brack and Terminous tracts. For more information, or to view maps of the spray areas, go to sjmosquito.org.

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From The Epoch Times
July 10, 2018

A landmark experiment in north Queensland could hold the key to combating the spread of mosquito-borne diseases including dengue and Zika.

Australian scientists managed to wipe out more than 80 per cent of the Aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito) population near Innisfail, a sugar town in tropical far north Queensland, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) announced on July 10.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is responsible for infecting millions of people worldwide with diseases such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya.

Last summer, CSIRO researchers introduced three million sterile male Aedes aegypti in three small towns in the Innisfail region. The local female mosquitos they mated with laid sterile eggs, causing the population to plummet.

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From KTLA
June 9, 2018

The first mosquito sample testing positive for West Nile Virus this year was confirmed by the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District to be found in Garden Grove, the agency said in a news release Monday.

The sample was collected from mosquitoes found near Garden Grove Boulevard and Newhope Street on July 3, officials said. So far, however, no birds or humans in the county have been infected with the virus this year.

The virus is usually transmitted to humans and other animals through mosquitoes, who often contract the illness from birds that feed on them, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Since 2003, the virus has infected more than 6,500 people in California and killed 292, state health officials said.

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From Pasadena Now
July 9, 2018

Officials want to enlist Pasadena residents in their unending war on mosquitoes and the dangerous diseases they spread.

As the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District takes over responsibility for Pasadena this week, it’s reminding residents that the agency cannot defeat this determined enemy alone.

“While we’re out there, we’re doing our part, but we definitely want to stress that mosquito control is a shared responsibility and everyone should do their part,” said SGV Mosquito & Vector Control spokesman Levy Sun. “Once you do that, we can have a more bite-free Pasadena.

Vector control officials will be aggressively trapping and testing mosquitoes, inspecting and treating storm drains and otherwise taking the fight to the mosquitoes.

Sun says just a bottle cap full of water is enough for mosquitoes to breed in.

More than just pesky — especially to those with particularly delicious blood — mosquitoes carry diseases such as West Nile virus and Zika.

Pasadena has seen no reported cases of West Nile virus or Zika virus this season, according to Sun.

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From PBS News Hour
July 6, 2018

Last week, biologists reported the most detailed structure of the Zika virus to date, a finding that could help the effort to develop vaccines or anti-viral medicines. And Monday, a nationwide group of researchers reported in Nature Medicine that Zika causes miscarriages and stillbirths in a quarter of pregnancies in non-human primates.

The urgency to fight Zika reached a fever pitch two summers ago when a massive outbreak struck South and Central America and the Caribbean causing more than half a million suspected cases and more than 3,700 congenital birth defects. Some scientists suspect a mutation in the virusmade the disease more harmful and triggered the epidemic. It also landed in an ideal climate, where tropical mosquitoes — namely of the Aedes family — helped propel Zika to such large numbers.

But then last summer, the virus declined sharply in its hotspots and all but disappeared in the U.S. In 2016, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa saw more than 36,000 cases of locally transmitted Zika virus. By 2017, the number had dropped to 665. In 2017, the continental U.S. saw only seven cases of local mosquito-borne Zika, down from 224 the previous year.

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From Science Magazine
July 5, 2018

Each year, thousands of people suffer from malaria, the Zika virus, and other diseases transmitted by pests such as mosquitoes. However, humans may soon be in the clear, thanks to the drugs used to protect man’s best friend from fleas and ticks. In a new study, researchers found that fluralaner and afoxolaner, sold as Bravecto and Nexgard, respectively, effectively killed infectious mosquitoes and sand fleas when they consumed human blood laced with the compounds, according to Time. Through computer modeling, these researchers also found that if enough people took the drug, 97% of infections could be prevented in Zika-prone areas, and 70% of new malaria cases could be prevented in countries that experience seasonal malaria, they reported this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. To test these findings, researchers are already planning clinical trials in healthy human volunteers. 

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From The Fresno Bee
July 5, 2018

Mosquitoes trapped in Fresno have tested positive for St. Louis Encephalitis.

Fresno County health officials said Thursday the infected mosquitoes were in the areas of East Floradora Avenue and Highway 41, plus Shields and Van Ness avenues.

The Culex mosquitoes that carry St. Louis Encephalitis are also capable of infecting people with West Nile virus. There is no vaccine for humans who are infected with either virus.

Most people infected with West Nile and Saint Louis Encephalitis have no symptoms, however, the viruses can affect the central nervous system. One in five people may develop a fever along with other symptoms, and severe neurological effects can occur and may be permanent. The infections can be fatal..

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From KESQ
July 5, 2018

Mosquitoes in Mecca tested positive for St. Louis encephalitis, the first detection of the virus in the Coachella Valley this year, local vector control officials reported today.

The mosquitoes were recently found in three traps near the intersections of Johnson Street and Avenue 70 and Colfax Street and Avenue 71, according to the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

The discovery follows five recent detections of West Nile virus in mosquitoes found in Palm Desert and Indian Wells, which led to increased mosquito spraying and trapping in those cities.

District officials warned residents to watch out during the early morning and evening hours, when mosquitoes are most active. 

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From Placer MVCD
July 3, 2018

Public health officials urge repellent use during Independence Day celebrations

ROSEVILLE, Calif., July 3, 2018 – The Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District reported today that a mosquito sample has tested positive for West Nile virus this week.  The sample was collected from a site along the county’s western border.  Mosquito numbers have also increased in the past week, most likely from sustained higher temperatures.  District staff have been aggressively treating immature mosquito populations out in the agricultural areas to the west, in an effort to stem the development of adult mosquitoes.  “This kind of mosquito and West Nile virus activity is not unusual for this time of year. Mosquito abundance is not the only thing that is impacted with warmer weather. West Nile virus activity in birds and mosquitoes also tends to increase with higher temperatures,” states Joel Buettner, District general manager. According to Buettner, treatment activities have not been scheduled, but will likely happen later on in the week. He encourages those who are interested in receiving updates to sign up for email notices through the District website or follow the District social media accounts for treatment updates.

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From the Daily Democrat
July 3, 2018

The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District confirmed that West Nile virus activity is increasing as 10 new mosquito samples and 10 dead birds have tested positive for the disease in areas throughout the region, including Yolo County.

“The hot temperatures of the last few days have increased mosquito populations and we’re starting to see widespread activity,” said Gary Goodman, district manager.

Thus far, stated Goodman, there have been 32 mosquito samples and 21 dead birds testing positive for West Nile virus to date.

In Yolo County, two dead birds have tested positive for West Nile virus to date.

The increase in West Nile virus activity comes at a time when many will be enjoying the outdoor activities for the 4th of July holiday and the District reminds the public to take protective measures against mosquitoes.

“Many will be participating in family BBQ’s and watching fireworks around dusk, a time when mosquitoes are looking to bite,” stated Goodman. “We urge everyone to wear an effective repellent to protect themselves from mosquito bites. All it takes is one bite from an infected mosquito to get the virus” indicated Goodman.

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From the Tracy Press
July 3, 2018

Free mosquitofish were recently distributed to Tracy residents to cut down on mosquitoes breeding in backyard ponds, pools and other manmade water features.

Technicians from the San Joaquin County Mosquito & Vector Control District handed out the fish Friday from a tank on a pickup truck at the Tracy Community Center.

From TIME
July 2, 2018

Diseases spread by pests like mosquitoes and fleas remain global health problems. To prevent transmission, public health strategy has largely focused on using insecticides or bed nets. Vaccines are also under development for diseases like Zika, but few are approved for use. Now, a new study suggests that medicines already used for pets to protect against fleas and ticks could offer similar protection for humans.

In the report, published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the nonprofit drug discovery institute Calibr and TropIQ Health Sciences report that drugs called isoxazolines, which are currently sold as veterinary products like fluralaner (Bravecto) and afoxolaner (NexGard), might also work in humans to kill off pests like mosquitoes that spread diseases like Zika and malaria.

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From KESQ
June 29, 2018

Palm Springs Unified School District custodians received special training by the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District to help them spot and identify dangerous mosquitoes and the areas where they might breed.

“A lot of the mosquito control can be done by people themselves whether it’s maintenance or custodial workers or just people in their own backyard,” said Jill Oviatt, public information officer for the CVMVCD.

Experts say the main thing to look for in stopping the spread of mosquitoes is stagnant water. 

“This is where mosquitoes lay their eggs, breed into adult mosquitoes who can then bite you and potentially give you a deadly virus,” Oviatt said.

The custodians spent the day learning to identify and report these mosquito hot spots.

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