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First mosquito virus of 2022 detected in Michigan mosquitoes


Pictured is a mosquito on a person. The first mosquito-borne virus of 2022 was detected in Michigan mosquitoes, June 23, 2022.{ }
Pictured is a mosquito on a person. The first mosquito-borne virus of 2022 was detected in Michigan mosquitoes, June 23, 2022.
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Mosquitoes collected in Bay County have tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus, they are the first infected mosquito pools detected for 2022.

Fever, headache, and fatigue are common symptoms with Jamestown Canyon virus disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. In severe cases, it can also cause inflammation of the brain, the CDC reports.

The mosquitoes were tested at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Laboratories.

Jamestown Canyon virus, or JCV, is found throughout the U.S. but cases are increasing throughout the Midwest, according to MDHHS.

Preventing mosquito bites is the best way to protect yourself against JCV and other mosquito-borne illnesses like Eastern Equine Encephalitis or West Nile virus, according to MDHHS.

Additional strategies include:

  • Apply insect repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET, or other EPA-approved products to exposed skin or clothing. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for use.
  • Wear light colored, long sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors. Apply insect repellent to clothing to help prevent bites.
  • Maintain window and door screening to help keep mosquitoes outside.
  • Empty water from mosquito breeding sites around the home, such as buckets, unused kiddie pools, old tires or similar sites where mosquitoes lay eggs.

“We urge Michiganders to take precautions such as using an EPA registered insect repellent when outdoors, avoiding areas where mosquitoes are present if possible, and wearing clothing to cover arms and legs to prevent bites,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive said.

Every summer in Michigan, bites from mosquitoes spread diseases to people and animals.

JCV can be spread by mosquitoes that become infected when they feed on deer or other animals that have the virus in their blood.

WNV and EEE can spread when mosquitoes get the virus from biting infected birds then biting a person.

In 2021, six Michiganders got sick from JCV, 46 cases of West Nile virus were reported, and one case of EEE, according to MDHHS.

Most JCV cases occur from late spring through mid-fall.

Illness may develop within a few days up to two weeks following a bite from an infected mosquito, according to MDHHS.

Most people may not become ill but symptoms can include fever, headache, or fatigue, rare cases can cause severe disease to the brain or spinal cord, including encephalitis and meningitis.

“It only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to cause a severe illness,” Bagdasarian said.

Additional information can be found on the Michigan Government website.

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