- WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE
| A mosquito carrying West Nile virus was caught in a trap June 19, base
officials said Friday.
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- Officials emphasized there is no need for alarm. The
species of mosquito caught is rare to this area, and most people are not
at risk of getting sick from the virus, said Maj. William Dobbertien of
the 74th Aerospace Medicine Squadron.
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- "It's probably a needle in several haystacks,"
Dobbertien said.
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- Still, base officials plan to double the amount of mosquito
traps and check them more frequently, Dobbertien said.
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- Mosquitoes are a primary source of West Nile virus infections,
which can cause encephalitis among the elderly and those already in ill
health. Since 1999, the virus has killed about 20 people nationwide, Dobbertien
said.
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- But he cautioned that experts estimate 1 percent of mosquitoes
are carriers, 1 percent of people bitten will get sick and fewer than 20
percent of those will suffer serious medical problems.
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- Most who get sick suffer flu-like symptoms, Dobbertien
said.
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- "I'm not concerned at all," Dobbertien said.
"I wouldn't stop camping or outdoor activities."
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- Combined Health District of Montgomery County officials
have found dead birds carrying the virus during the past two years, but
no infected mosquitoes were found in Montgomery or Greene counties until
this one, health district spokesman Bill Wharton said.
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- The mosquito was found on the Greene County section of
the base, Dobbertien said.
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- As part of the state's monitoring, the base has been
setting mosquito traps this year in camping and golf courses on the base.
Mosquitoes caught are sent to state officials for testing to see if they
have West Nile virus, Dobbertien said.
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- Base officials want to see if this mosquito species,
considered rare to this area, arrived as a fluke or represents a previously
undiscovered population, Dobbertien said. Unlike many local species, which
prefer to feed on birds, this species prefers feeding on mammals, Dobbertien
said.
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- Contact Lou Grieco at 225-2057 or lou_grieco@coxohio.com
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- >From the Dayton Daily News 7-13-02
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- http://www.activedayton.com/ddn/local/0713westnile.html
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