Learning to Live With West Nile Virus
West Nile - It's here to stay...
Unfortunately, the latest indication is that the threat of West Nile Virus is here to stay. Expansion of the virus across the United States has progressed at a much higher rate than scientists anticipated. In turn, this threat inhibits the activities of the Outdoorsman or woman.
Sad but so, Mankind tends to approach things with a knee-jerk reaction, such as dumping birdbaths and spraying cities with chemicals that not only wipe out mosquitoes, but other insects as well.
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There are some good things surrounding West Nile Virus. It's a non-transmissible disease; humans can't spread the virus to other humans, nor can they contract the virus by handling wildlife. Still, until more is known about this potentially life-threatening illness, precautions need to be taken.
So what works?
- DEET ( N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamid)
- Some communities are releasing fish that eat mosquito larvae. It will be interesting to learn the long-term effects of this combatant method.
- Eliminating standing water; aeration of ponds and pools, covering spas & hottubs when not in use.
What doesn't work well or not at all?
- Insect repellents that do not contain DEET.
- Ultrasonic devices - gets some, not all.
- Vitamin B - no evidence to support that this supplement will eliminate an individual contracting the virus.
- Campfire - although heat will keep insects at bay, mosquitoes will fly undaunted amid a smoke-filled sky; if you harbor doubts, just ask the Rangers at the Sea Rim Park in Port Arthur, Texas where safe burnoffs do little to nothing to the mosquitoes that are highly indigenous to the area, and thrive in coastal climates.
- Community spraying.
Until a vaccine can be found for West Nile Virus, no doubt about it - we're just going to have to learn to live with it.
