West Nile Virus detected in Marseilles mosquitoes

A batch of mosquitoes collected in Marseilles has tested positive for West Nile virus – the first documented virus activity in the county this year, according to a news release from the La Salle County Health Department.

The mosquitoes were collected on July 22, and Environmental Health staff conducted the confirmatory testing at the health department.

“This is the time of year we expect to see West Nile virus activity increase,” Jennifer Arroyo, Director of Environmental Health, said in a news release. “The rain we have experienced recently could contribute to areas of standing water and mosquito breeding. It is important to wear your insect repellent, especially during the evening hours, to help prevent illness.”

West Nile virus is spread through the bite of a Culex mosquito, commonly known as the house mosquito, which acquires the virus after feeding on an infected bird.

According to the news release, while most people infected with West Nile virus will not show any symptoms, common symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches. Symptoms may last from a few days to a few weeks.

In rare cases, it can lead to severe illness, including paralysis, meningitis or encephalitis ( brain and nerve infections) or even death, according to the release. People older than 60 and those with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk for severe illness.

IDPH urges the public to Fight the Bite by practicing the three “R’s” – reduce, repel, and report:

• REDUCE - make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut. Eliminate, or refresh each week, all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires, and any other containers.

• REPEL - when outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt, and apply an EPA-registered insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR 3535, para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.

• REPORT – report locations where you see water sitting stagnant for more than a week, such as roadside ditches, flooded yards, and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes. The local health department or city government may be able to add larvicide to the water, which will kill any mosquito larvae.

A complete listing of West Nile virus statistics for La Salle County is available on the Health Department’s website at www.lasallecountyil.gov under Environmental Health/Vector Control.

A statewide listing is available at the Illinois Department of Public Health’s web site at https://dph.illinois.gov/topicsservices/diseases-and-conditions/west-nile-virus/surveillance