By Carolyn Ketchel
Did you know that mosquitos kill more people than any other creature on Earth? It’s been said that knowledge is power and in the case of mosquito-borne illnesses, this information can save your life. What do Dengue, Chikungunya, West Nile, Equine Encephalitis and Zika Viruses have in common? These are tropical mosquito born viruses, but it appears the Zika Virus is spreading globally. The Zika virus is so named, because it is believed to have originated in the Zika forest of Uganda in Africa and was first reported in the 1940’s. There are currently one million cases worldwide with 29 confirmed cases in Florida; this count rises daily. The most cases are in Miami-Dade (38%). In Northwest Florida, one case was reported in Santa Rosa County. None of these originated in the U.S. Those who have this disease were infected in another country while traveling. One case in Texas was sexually transmitted to the spouse of a missionary upon his return. Once a person is infected, they become a host for up to seven days; and if a mosquito bites them, the mosquito can transmit the disease to another person.
The leading spokesman and educator about Zika virus since 2017 is Dr. Anthony Fauci (yes, the same Fauci that we all know from COVID). Dr. Fauci is recovering currently from West Nile Virus that he believes he caught in his backyard, in the D.C. metropolitan area.
All the above-mentioned viruses, including Zika, are transmitted by the bite of a mosquito, or human saliva, blood transfusion or sexual transmission. Blood banks in the U.S. are safe and do not accept, per FDA guidelines, blood donations from people who have traveled to areas with active transmission of Zika in the last 28 days. There is currently no cure or vaccine. Antibiotics are ineffective, because it is a virus not a bacterial infection. Once infected with the Zika virus, the symptoms begin within 2-5 days. Some cases are mild and some people experience no symptoms. In the beginning, there is a fever, rash, joint pain and red in the white of the eyes. Treat with acetaminophen (Tylenol) only as this inflammatory disease is made worse by medications such as Aspirin. The second stage for the disease includes headaches, aching behind the eyes and vomiting. Bed rest and hydration are recommended. A diagnosis can be made by a physician with a blood titer.
Complications can arise for pregnant women, because the virus passes through the umbilical cord. There are currently nine pregnancy cases in the U.S. where the mother is infected with Zika. In Brazil, studies are underway to confirm that children born to infected mothers have birth defects such as microcephaly. The CDC is working to investigate the link in Brazil. In addition to pregnancy, it appears the virus can begin to ravage the nervous systems producing crippling diseases in adults. There have been cases of complications with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a type of paralysis. In some adults, it causes a form of crippling arthritic symptoms.
The mosquito that carries this disease is a common one in Florida known as the Tiger mosquito. Once these mosquitos become infected, they become aggressive daytime biters. They can also bite at night. This is uncommon for these vectors, because, as most of us know, they feed at dusk or dawn. They have no issues with following you inside of your home where other mosquitoes shun the temperature difference. The Okaloosa mosquito control program monitors 12 trap sites throughout the county in locations of known heavy mosquito activity. No Tiger mosquitos have been trapped since last October. The Tiger mosquito is rare in the winter, but will begin to hatch this spring, all through the summer and into fall.
What can be done? Okaloosa County has an aggressive campaign to destroy mosquitos through spray. If a case is detected in Okaloosa County, additional emergency state funds are available to combat the spread. Government alone cannot keep us from a massive outbreak. All citizens must partner with the county in this fight. Mosquitos can breed in water as small as the amount found in fallen Magnolia leaves. This is important, because no leaf must be left unturned in your yards. Pots, gutters, birdbaths must be inspected for water which are prime breeding grounds. It only takes a few days for larvae to hatch once the eggs are laid in standing water. The Tiger mosquitos do not travel far in their lifespan; most hatch and live within a mile of your property. So, wear protective clothing and use an insect repellant product with an EPA-registered insect repellent. If you use sunscreen, apply sunscreen before applying insect repellent. Special clothing is made that has insect repellent as part of the fabric for outdoor protection. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. Make sure your windows and door screens are in good repair. If you contact this disease, you can spread it to a loved one with an exchange of bodily fluid.
To date, in 2024, there have been only travel related cases of Dengue and Chikungunya. Those individuals isolated themselves until they were no longer capable of transmitting the disease.
Mosquitos are a year-round problem. In Florida, and especially in Okaloosa County, we are actually fortunate that we have such a well-managed Mosquito control program. Working together as a community, we can mitigate the inevitable spread of this disease with education and a willingness to understand the historical fight we are in against an insect that continues to reinvent misery under different names.
For more information about Okaloosa County’s program, visit https://myokaloosa.com/pw/environmental/mosquito-control. Included on the website is the spray schedule, educational materials and links to additional information. The next time you see a spray truck on your street, give thanks that we have such a robust mosquito control program in our county.
