Community Corner

'Mosquito-Borne Infection is Preventable,' Expert Says

Dr. Samuel Telford III, and Grafton Health Agent Lois Luniewicz, will give a free lecture on such issues next Tuesday night.

Cities and towns are "less likely" to proactively reduce the risk of West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis in their communities this season "until one of their own becomes ill," a local expert on infectious diseases says.

“That is like closing the barn door after the fox has gotten in to eat the chickens,” said Dr. Samuel Telford III, professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton. 

“Mosquito- borne infection is preventable. Why wait until someone gets sick?  The sick person could be your kid or your parents or your neighbor.”

Find out what's happening in Westboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Telford and Grafton Health Agent Lois Luniewicz will give a free lecture on such issues next Tuesday night.

"What You Can Do to Reduce Mosquito-Related Health Risks” runs from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Cummings School's Agnes Varis Auditorium

Find out what's happening in Westboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Patch interviewed Telford by e-mail recently.

Patch

Last summer was among the worst in recent memory for mosquito-borne illnesses. What lessons can local health officials learn from that?

Dr. Samuel Telford III

Mosquitos and mosquito-borne infection are not some other town's problem--virtually all of Massachusetts is at risk. Residents must be proactive and clean up breeding sites around their homes, and use personal protection such as repellents when outdoors.

Patch


How will the weather so far this year affect the risk level this summer?

Dr. Samuel Telford III

It would be great if we had a prediction system. 

Unfortunately, there are very few biological phenomena that we can predict. 

The lore is that all the rain increases the number of breeding sites. Yes, but it could also have paradoxical effects such as washing sewer-breeding mosquitoes into the Boston Harbor. Or, because mosquitoes don't feed in heavy rain, it could decrease the capacity to find blood meals and hence there would be less reproduction. 

So one can spin it either way: lots of rain is good for mosquitoes, or bad for them.

Patch

When and how should residents begin preparing for the potential for mosquito-borne illnesses?

Dr. Samuel Telford III

The snow melt and reflood species of mosquitoes, as well as blackflies, have been out for several weeks.  

People should already be very familiar with repellent.  If they aren't, they need to go get some now.  

The peak of the cattail mosquito and woodland mosquito season is upon us. They are not only aggressive biters, but are the main vectors for EEE and perhaps WNV.  Because wetlands and marshes have restrictions that make insecticide use (either for larvae or adults) difficult, one is left mainly with personal protection, although professional pest control applicators can be consulted for specific situations.  For reducing WNV risk,  breeding sites for the house mosquito need to be eliminated. So kiddie pools, cans, used tires, gutters, anything that holds water needs to be emptied. And repairing screens is important, too.

Patch

What trends are you seeing in the industry for new products to help consumers?

Dr. Samuel Telford III

The vaporizing gadgets might work, but you could buy enough  DEET for several summers for the same price as a few weeks' worth of the consumables.

Of the machines that are out there, only the mosquito magnet and clones, including Megacatch, have been demonstrated to work.  It is not clear that they capture enough mosquitoes to reduce nuisance, it is also debated as to whether the traps themselves attract more mosquitoes from surrounding sites, and they can be expensive to maintain and repair. Forget the zappers: nice sound, but completely worthless for mosquitoes.





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