CC MEETING: July 26, 2016
DATE: July 16, 2016
TO: Leonard Martin, City Manager
FROM: Scott Hudson, Environmental Services Director
Title
Discuss The Carrollton Vector Control Program Relating To Mosquito-Borne Illnesses.
Body
BACKGROUND:
West Nile Virus
Since 2002 West Nile virus (WNv) has been endemic to the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and cases of West Nile illness were reported sporadically in Carrollton through 2011. This virus is spread by mosquitoes and causes two principal illnesses. The effects of West Nile fever are variable but generally short-term, comprised mainly of flu-like symptoms such as body aches and fatigue. West Nile neuroinvasive disease causes severe central nervous system symptoms including long-term partial paralysis. Most WNv-related fatalities result from neuroinvasive disease. The majority of people infected with West Nile virus do not appear to become ill.
In 2012 an epidemic of West Nile fever and West Nile neuroinvasive illness occurred in Texas, centered heavily in the Dallas area. Cases reported in Texas totaled 1,868, including 1,024 West Nile fever, 844 West Nile neuroinvasive, and 89 deaths. Of these, 26 cases occurred in Carrollton (15 West Nile fever, 11 West Nile neuroinvasive), including one death. Bearing in mind that only some 20% of the people infected become symptomatic and that symptomatic cases are under-reported, the statewide infection rate was significantly higher than these numbers reflect. Carrollton participated in regional aerial mosquitocide spraying in 2012.
Local conditions have been very favorable for mosquitoes this year. Numbers of mosquitoes trapped and numbers of mosquito traps testing positive for WNv were very high early in the season. These numbers have decreased over the last two weeks but could rise again as the season progresses. There have been three reported WNv cases in Dallas County this year, one of these being a neuroinvasive case in Carrollton.
For over 30 year...
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