The Chautauqua County Department of Health & Human Services is urging residents to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites and protect themselves from potential exposure to the mosquito-borne illnesses West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.

The Health Department received notification from the New York State Department of Health Arbovirus Laboratory that the virus was confirmed in a horse in the Ashville area of Chautauqua County and Eastern Equine Encephalitis was confirmed in a horse in the Conewango Valley area of Cattaraugus County. While West Nile Virus is generally considered to be present throughout Western New York, this is the first encephalitis detected since 2013.

“The West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis are serious viral diseases that are transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito,” said Christine Schuyler, County Public Health Director. “Various mosquito species transmit different diseases that are caused by different viruses. The key to safeguarding against these illnesses is to take basic precautions to avoid mosquito bites.” There is no commercially available human vaccine for either case. The best way to protect yourself is to keep mosquitoes from biting you. Vaccines are available for horses in consultation with a veterinarian.

People are urged to follow these precautions to defend against mosquito bites:

¯ Use insect repellent properly. Those that contain DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus are most effective but should be used with care. Read the product label and use according to package instructions.

¯ Limit outdoor activities in areas where mosquitoes are most active and between dusk and dawn which is the peak mosquito biting time.

¯ If you have to be outside, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes and socks as weather permits.

¯ Repair or replace all window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.

¯ Reduce or eliminate all standing water.

¯ Empty or dispose of pails, cans, flower pots, or similar water-holding containers.

¯ Clear roof gutters, remove leaf debris from yards and gardens, and clean vegetation and debris from the edge of ponds.

¯ Turn over wheelbarrows and wading pools when not in use.

¯ Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs and drain pool covers.

¯ Clean vegetation and debris from the edges of ponds

¯ Change the water in birdbaths and horse troughs twice a week.

¯ Dispose properly of old tires. The risk of contracting either illness coincides with heaviest mosquito activity, typically from June through September with peak activity in August. In the last 20 years, New York State has reported 624 human cases of the WNV with 49 fatalities (excludes New York City) as compared with only 11 reported human cases of EEE between 1971 and 2015, all of which occurred in the Central New York area.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis is a rare illness in humans but often a deadly disease. It is transmitted by mosquitoes and can affect humans, birds, horses and other mammals. Most people bitten by an infected mosquito will not develop any signs; however, of those who do, symptoms usually appear four to 10 days later. Signs of EEE infection begin with a sudden headache, high fever, chills and vomiting.

The illness may then progress into disorientation, seizures, coma or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). It causes death in most cases; however, some people will survive the infection and have mild to severe brain damage for life. There is no specific treatment for EEE; care is based on symptoms. While people of all ages are at risk for EEE infection, children under age 15 and adults over age 50 have the greatest risk for contracting the severe disease. West Nile virus (WNV) West Nile virus (WNV) is also a mosquito-borne infection that can cause illness and occasionally death.

Symptoms of the WNV usually develop within 3 to 14 days after exposure; however, it may take up to three weeks for signs to appear in those with weakened immune systems. Many people who contract WNV do not experience any type of illness; an estimated 20 percent of people who become infected will develop mild symptoms including fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea and possibly a skin rash or swollen lymph glands. The person’s health usually improves after several days, but they may feel tired, weak and generally unwell for weeks. Less than 1 percent of people infected will develop severe symptoms that affect the central nervous system. These include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, muscle weakness, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis, coma, or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Most people will recover completely from WNV, even from a severe infection although in rare cases, death can occur. While people of all ages are at risk for WNV infection, adults age 50 and older and people with certain medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and organ transplants are at the greatest risk of developing serious symptoms.

For more information on West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), please visit:

¯ www.health.ny.gov/diseases/west–nile–virus/fact–sheet.htm

¯ www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/eastern–equine–encephalitis/fact–sheet.htm.