Sorry I have not been keeping up with things. I have been out of town for the past week or so. As so often happens, when I am away, interesting things occur. Around April 20th, a West Nile positive mosquito appeared in a gravid trap in the High Point area and tested positive for West Nile. NBC 5 reported that the early occurrence could be due to rain and recent warm temperatures. nbcdfw/news/health/Mosquito-Test-Positive-for-West-Nile-Virus-in-Dallas-County-256475391.html However, in Denton County, they tested their first round of mosquitoes. Of the 8 traps, only 2 had enough mosquitoes to test and none were positive for West Nile. Dr. Jim Kennedy of Denton counties West Nile Virus testing lab told NBC News, We expect maybe a slow season to West Nile virus showing up. Kennedy also said it may be June or July before the illness really shows up in the city due mainly to the unusually cold start to the year. nbcdfw/news/local/Denton-No-West-Nile-Virus-in-1st-Round-of-Tests-257747701.html In the Hal B Wallis classic, Casablanca, Humphrey Bogart said that he sticks his neck out for no one. Although Bogart is cool (and a snappy dresser) I am going to go against his teachings and stick my neck out. We should see few if any WN positive mosquitoes until June. These early occurrences (three popped up in early April last year) are due to the over wintering mosquitoes carrying WNV. They may feed on a bird, the bird may get infected, another mosquito may feed on that bird, but that second mosquito will die of old age, predation, bug zapper, person with quick reflexes etc. before it can become infective. Still, the Dallas County wants to demonstrate they are on top of the issue and rolled trucks. What is very interesting about these mosquitoes is that even though they may have emerged last October, they have not fed on blood until this spring. They contracted the virus from their infected mother.
Posted on: Sun, 04 May 2014 15:48:20 +0000
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