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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Chana Goussetis
Health Educator, Boulder County Public Health
303-413-7562 1st 2004 Human Case of West Nile Virus and
1st Positive Mosquito, Boulder County
Boulder County Public Health continues Colorado’s most comprehensive and proactive
mosquito control and public education programs.
July 1, 2004, Boulder, Colo. – Boulder County Public Health has confirmed the county’s first human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) of 2004.
A Boulder County woman in her 30s was tested for the virus after symptoms of fever, chills, headache, myalgia, muscle weakness, vomiting and diarrhea persisted for a week. She was not hospitalized and is recovering. According to Boulder County Public Health officials, the woman reported having had multiple mosquito bites around Memorial Day and began noticing symptoms on June 9.
The Boulder woman joins four others in the state; two from Logan County, a 35-year-old Adams County woman,and a 30-year-old Pueblo County man, who have tested positive for the
virus.
This report of the first human case of WNV comes at the same time as the first positive mosquito in the county. The mosquito came from a trap located in an unincorporated area of the county.
“This first positive mosquito does not come as a surprise” said Joe Malinowski, Consumer Protection Program Coordinator for Boulder County Public Health, “it is consistent with the mosquito activity we saw at this time last year. It is a strong reminder that WNV is in Colorado and we must all take precautions to protect ourselves.”
WNV is a disease that can be transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. While most infections are mild, the more serious infections can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and/or meningitis (inflammation of the brain's lining), loss of vision, paralysis, coma, tremors, convulsions, and in some cases, death.
Symptoms of WNV include fever, headache, body aches, and can occasionally include skin rashes and swollen lymph nodes. Generally, symptoms appear three to 14 days after being bitten by a mosquito. Persons who experience these symptoms should consult their doctor or local community health clinic.
The disease can strike even the healthiest people regardless of age. In fact, 48 percent of the WNV patients reported to Boulder County Public Health in 2003were between the ages of 21 and 50 years old.
“Ninety seven percent of Boulder County residents are at risk for contracting West Nile Virus,” said Heath Harmon, Boulder County Public Health’s epidemiologist. “We anticipate that there will be more cases this season, but the number of cases depends on the level of precautions people take to protect themselves.”
There is no treatment, cure, or vaccination for WNV; health care providers can only treat the symptoms to help patients feel better and possibly recover more quickly. The only treatment available is prevention.
“As the Fourth of July holiday approaches it is important that everyone take action to protect themselves by using the four Ds,” said Chana Goussetis, the health educator for Boulder County Public Health.
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DEET – use DEET-enhanced insect repellant (a 2 percent soy-based product is available).
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Dress in long sleeves and pants.
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Dusk to dawn avoid the outdoors.
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Drain standing water outside the home.
In addition to proactively educating the public and encouraging people to take these precautions through its ongoing “One Bite. One Life Changed Forever.” campaign, Boulder County Public Health maintains one of the most comprehensive mosquito control and monitoring programs in the state of Colorado. Mosquito management in Boulder County reduces the risk of exposure to mosquitoes that can carry WNV.
The pest management plan, which continues through the summer, includes surveillance, sample site testing, larva control, and adult mosquito control. More than 50 mosquito traps are used to monitor mosquito populations, and more than 1,000 potential mosquito-breeding sites are continually monitored and treated during the mosquito season.
For more information about WNV, please visit Boulder County Public Health’s Web site at
www.bouldercountymosquito.net.
A pre-recorded message for general information is available at 303-441-1460. To ask specific questions, call the Colorado Health Education Line for the Public at 1-877-462-2911 (available in Spanish and English).
If a person suspects they have WNV symptoms, Boulder County Public Health urges them to consult their primary care physician.
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