JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - As 2015 moves into sweltering summer months, warm weather and increased moisture support higher mosquito populations, and along with them comes a higher risk of mosquito-borne pathogens.
Mosquitoes breeding in the pools of water located in various parts of the National Capital Region monitored by the Army, Navy and Air Force serve as a canary in a coal mine when high levels of West Nile Virus and other mosquito-borne viruses are present in the area.
In order to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses, residents of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall should take similar precautions used by the JBM-HH Directorate of Public Works' Pest Management Team to eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes around residences.
Hampering mosquito breeding through prevention is one of the best ways to help minimize the potential of virus infection, according to Pest Management Team member Ronald Purvis.
One of the most common ways to do just that is by clearing gutter debris during the fall season, according to Purvis. Gutters at JBM-HH residences are cleared twice annually, according to JBM-HH Army Family Housing Facilities Manager Kevin Fleming. Gutters were cleared in late April and will be cleared a second time this year after "most of the leaves have dropped," he said in an email.
Other mosquito-breeding prevention tips include:
• Use of insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and some oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol products to provide longer-lasting prevention
• Wear long sleeve shirts and pants from dusk through dawn, which is when mosquitoes are most active
• Ensure screens on windows and doors are not torn or otherwise provide openings for mosquitoes to enter residences
• Use of air conditioning helps deter mosquitoes
• Empty standing water from outside containers, such as flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires and bird baths.
Further, the mosquito traps around the National Capital Region remain active and are checked bi-weekly during summer months. Mosquito samples gathered from the sites are ground up and sent to Fort Meade, Md., for analysis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 states have reported West Nile Virus infections in people, birds or mosquitoes this year. Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are not among the 22 states with reports of the virus.
For additional information on preventing mosquito and tick-borne illnesses, visit www.cdc.gov/westnile/prevention/index.html.
For more information about West Nile Virus, visit www.cdc.gov/westnile/index.html.
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