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Bite me

Summer’s here, the sun’s out, and the mosquitoes… well, they’ve RSVP’d to everything. Whether you're camping, grilling, or just enjoying your backyard, these tiny flying menaces always seem to show up uninvited — and they don’t come empty-handed. Besides leaving behind itchy welts, mosquitoes can spread some serious diseases like West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, dengue, malaria, and more. Not exactly the kind of souvenirs you want from a summer evening. And did you know they prefer feeding on human blood? It’s true! They actually gain a fitness advantage when they feed on humans. Mosquitoes bite (or feed) frequently, meaning (you guessed it) more opportunities to transmit illnesses.

Our expert this month is Dr. Laura C. Harrington, Professor of Entomology at Cornell University and Director of the Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector Borne Diseases (NEVBD). Laura has decades of professional experience; has published over 123 peer reviewed articles and 3 book chapters on her research; and has first-hand knowledge of what it feels like to be ill with a mosquito-borne illness, having contracted both dengue and malaria while living in Thailand.

Laura, first things first, what is a mosquito-borne illness, which ones are present in Clinton County, and how common are they?

A mosquito-borne illness is an infection that is caused by a microbe (virus or parasite) transmitted by mosquitoes. Usually the microbe must spend part of its life cycle in the mosquito in order to survive. This makes the mosquito an essential host. Mosquito-borne illnesses can be severe and even deadly. That is why we care so much about monitoring and preventing human infection in the first place. There are always a number of travel related cases of dengue, chikungunya and malaria identified each year in New York residents, but the locally transmitted infections circulating in our region are Eastern Equine Encephalitis, West Nile virus, and the more emerging Jamestown Canyon virus. 

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)

    • EEE is a rare but deadly infection. This is the most serious mosquito- borne illness that can be locally acquired in our region.
    • Last year there were 44 EEE positive mosquito pools and 2 human cases in New York state. In Clinton County, there was 1 positive horse case in 2024.

West Nile virus (WNV)

    •  Another important illness is West Nile virus (WNV), which can have no to mild symptoms in people, but sometimes can make people very ill.
    • In the US, there has been an average of 2,000 WNV cases per year reported to CDC and 1,200 WNV neuroinvasive (meaning nervous system infection) cases annually. In New York State, numbers can vary; however, last year there were 64 human cases reported (outside of NYC). Clinton County had 2 confirmed human cases of WNV in 2024. Since 1999 when the virus was first detected in the US, there have been 3 neuroinvasive human cases in Clinton County.

Jamestown Canyon virus (JVC)

    •  Recently, human cases of JCV have increased in the Northeast states including NYS, but it is still rare, with an average of just 23 reported human cases across the country annually.

For our locally acquired mosquito borne diseases, the NYS DOH tracks and reports these data to CDC. It is important to note that data are reported for the county or state of residence, not where the person contracted the case. The data are available here: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/mosquitoes/reports/2024/docs/summary_report.pdf.

What symptoms should I be on the lookout for? And when should I be worried I might have a mosquito-borne illness?

Symptoms can be very general, flu-like symptoms with fever, headache and fatigue, but sometimes they lead to more serious infections. For example, WNV, EEE and JCV can infect the nervous system causing death or permanent neurological damage. It is important for us to be aware that exposure to these illnesses is possible in our area, especially during the spring and summer months (with peaks in late summer) is important.

How can I prevent mosquitoes from biting me and my family members?

Prevention is your best defense. There are several very effective and safe repellents available, and these are among the best tools for personal protection. People should make sure repellents are EPA approved. NEVBD has published a free guide “Insect Repellent Essentials” to help people choose the repellent that meets their needs. 


What can I do to reduce the number of mosquitoes in and around my home?

For WNV, important vectors can infest residential areas, like in containers with standing water around the home, so removal of immature mosquito habitats is important. By checking for and eliminating standing water weekly, you can control the number of mosquitoes in and around your home.

  • Empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, or trash containers.
  • Make sure roof gutters drain properly, and clean clogged gutters in the spring and fall.
  • Tightly cover water storage containers (including buckets, cisterns, and rain barrels). For containers without lids, use wire mesh with holes smaller than an adult mosquito.
  • Repair cracks or gaps in your septic tank. Cover open vent(s) or plumbing pipes. Use wire mesh with holes smaller than an adult mosquito.
  • Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers that are kept outdoors.
  • Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of your home. Use air conditioning when available.

There are some effective products with excellent safety profiles that can be used in large areas with standing water such as the bacterial insecticide B.t.i and the mosquito hormone mimic methoprene. These products do not harm humans, pets or other animals. Spatial repellents are a newer type of product coming on the market for homeowner use. These products can repel mosquitoes away from you when you are sitting outside on a deck for example.

Keep in mind that there are approximately 60 different mosquito species in NYS, not all of them bite humans and a very small number carry disease.

Top 3 things to remember.

  1. Prevention is your best defense. There are several effective and safe repellents that can be used to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
  2. Though mosquito-borne illness numbers are low in Clinton County, residents should be aware of them and know how to protect themselves.
  3. The general symptoms of mosquito-borne illnesses make it difficult to know if you are sick with these viruses.  But it is important to be aware that exposure to these illnesses is possible in our area and to see a health care provider if you suspect you have contracted one.




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