Ripley County Health Department -- Ripley County, Indiana

Ripley County
Health Department

Ripley County, Indiana

Located in the
Ripley County Annex

102 W. 1st North St.
Versailles, IN 47042

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Ripley County Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Coalition
Osgood Library November 15 2007 from 11:00 a.m.-1:p.m.
Free tests conducted of carbon monoxide levels in your lungs.

   INDIANA TOBACCO QUITLINE
1-800-QUIT-NOW

We'll show you how: 1-800-784-8669

                                                 www.indianaquitline.net

WEST NILE VIRUS

IT'S TIME TO FIGHT THE BITE...

As summer arrives, so does mosquito season and the West Nile virus concern. Bookmark this page to find the latest official information from the Ripley County Health Department.

Indiana Map of Affected Counties

*** Latest information from the Indiana State Department of Health: ***

Health officials are asking Hoosiers to:
+Be Smart. Take special precautions when outdoors between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active;
+ Be Safe. Use insect repellent containing DEET; and
+ Be Certain. Make sure your property is free of any standing water, which could be breeding grounds for the mosquitoes that carry the virus. Check flowerpots, buckets, old tires, and clogged gutters

Another place where large numbers of disease-carrying mosquitoes breed is in accumulations of sewage water. So homeowners should repair all malfunctioning septic systems that are discharging to the surface.

West Nile virus is transmitted to a human by a mosquito that has first bitten an infected bird. A person who is bitten by an infected mosquito may show symptoms from 3 to 15 days after the bite.

Most people who get infected with West Nile virus will have either no symptoms or mild symptoms. A few individuals will have a more severe form of the disease, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord). West Nile virus can have these symptoms: high fever, headache, stiff neck, muscle weakness or paralysis, and confusion.

Most people have very mild disease. Although the virus has been reported in people ranging in age from nine months to 94 years old, severe disease has been most often present in individuals over 50 years old or those with weakened immune systems.

Daily updates on positive results for West Nile virus and a virus surveillance map are available on the State Department of Health's Web site, at www.in.gov/isdh, by clicking on the mosquito image on the homepage.

   "We urge Hoosiers to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites," Howell said. "There is no human vaccine and no cure for West Nile virus, but it can be prevented."

   Health officials recommend that Hoosiers avoid being outdoors during prime mosquito biting times, dawn to dusk, when possible. Or, when outdoors, individuals are advised to do the following:
   Apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothes and exposed skin; and
   Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants.

   West Nile virus is transmitted to a human by a mosquito that has first bitten an infected bird. A person who is bitten by an infected mosquito may show symptoms from 3 to 15 days after the bite. The virus usually causes a milder form of illness, West Nile fever, which can include fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph glands, or a rash.

   "Individuals over age 50 are at the greatest risk for serious illness, including disabling neurological problems," said Howell, "However, people of all ages are at risk for infection, and recovery from any form of the infection can be prolonged."

   The Culex mosquito, which is the primary carrier of the West Nile virus, breeds well when the weather is hot and dry. These mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, as can be found in clogged rain gutters, ditches, catch basins, and unattended pools.

   "Hundreds of mosquito can come from a fairly small amount of water, as would be found in a discarded tire, a flowerpot, or an unattended bird bath," said Howell. "It is important for people to remove this standing water from their property to prevent mosquitoes from breeding."

   In order to identify current West Nile virus activity in Indiana, the State Department of Health is asking local health departments to submit mosquitoes and dead blue jays, crows, or birds of prey for testing. Once it has been established that West Nile virus is present in a county, the testing of mosquito groups will be given increased priority for testing.

   Individuals are asked to contact their local health department if they find a dead blue jay, crow, falcon, or hawk, on their property.

   Daily updates on positive results for West Nile virus and a virus surveillance map are available on the State Department of Health's Web site, at www.statehealth.in.gov, by clicking on the mosquito image on the home page.

   ###

What is West Nile Virus?

How do mosquitoes develop, and what can I do to prevent them?

Where can I find more information on West Nile Virus?