The Brazos County Health District Mosquito Surveillance Unit has confirmed mosquito samples collected in Brazos County have tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). There were WNV-positive mosquitoes from a trap located in the 77803 zip code of Bryan in the weekly surveillance. Please keep in mind that all of Brazos County should be considered positive for WNV and residents should continue to take the necessary steps to reduce exposure to mosquitoes. The last WNV positive mosquito pool detected by the BCHD was in September 2021.
Brazos County Health District officials have notified the other members of the Vector Surveillance and Control Partnership with the City of Bryan, City of College Station and Texas A&M University.
All Brazos County residents are urged to use the 4D’s to reduce exposure to mosquitoes:
- DEET All day, Every Day: Whenever outside, use insect repellents that have the active ingredient DEET or other EPA-registered repellents and always follow label instructions.
- Dress: Wear long, loose and light-colored clothing outside.
- Drain: Drain or treat all standing water in and around your home or workplace where mosquitoes could lay eggs.
- All Day long: Day, Dusk and Dawn – Limit your time outdoors, mosquitoes are active any time day or night.
West Nile Virus is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Most people exposed to the virus do not get sick, but about 20% develop symptoms like headache, fever, body aches, joint pains, nausea and fatigue. Only about one out of 150 people infected with West Nile virus will develop the more severe form of the disease (West Nile neuroinvasive disease), which may affect the brain and spinal cord. The signs and symptoms of severe disease may include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis.
The incubation period of West Nile virus in humans is 2 to 14 days. Signs and symptoms of mild disease may last a few days. Signs and symptoms of severe disease may last several weeks or months, although neurological effects may be permanent. Rarely, death can occur.
There are no medications to treat, or vaccines to prevent West Nile virus infection. In the last 10 years, Texas has reported more than 3,300 cases of West Nile disease, including 172 deaths according to theTexas Department of State Health Services.
For more information, visit our website at www.brazoshealth.org or the Texas Department of State Health Services at https://www.dshs.texas.gov/mosquito-borne-diseases/west-nile-virus
Courtesy of Brazos County Health District
