August 23, 2012

The current outbreak of West Nile virus is one of the largest on record in the United States, with four times the usual number of cases for this time of year, announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on August 22. According to the CDC, never before have so many illnesses been reported this early. “We’re in the midst of one of the largest West Nile outbreaks ever seen in the United States,” CDC official Lyle Petersen told The Washington Post. So far this year, 1,118 illnesses have been confirmed, with 41 deaths. In an average year, fewer than 300 cases are reported by mid-August. Approximately half of the 1,118 cases have been in Texas.

Epidemiologists suggest that the combination of a mild winter, early spring, and unusually hot summer has resulted in a-larger-than-normal number of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes acquire the virus from birds they bite and carry it to human beings. The first known case of West Nile in the United States was reported in New York City in 1999.

A worker in Louisiana sprays chemicals on timber to control the mosquito population and halt the spread of the West Nile virus. The virus is transmitted through the bites of mosquitoes. Public health officials use pesticides to eliminate mosquitoes. (Dan Currier, The News Star)

To avoid West Nile, the CDC recommends:

• Using an insect repellent containing an EPA-registered ingredient.
• Maintaining screens on windows and doors.
• Emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets and barrels, and children’s wading pools and changing the water in pet dishes and bird baths.

Additional World Book articles:

• Disease Detectives (a special report)
• New York City 1999 (a Back in Time article)
• New York City 2000 (a Back in Time article)
• Public health 2002 (a Back in Time article)
• Public health 2003 (a Back in Time article)
• Public health 2004 (a Back in Time article)