Increased mosquito activity prompts West Nile virus awareness Published Aug. 18, 2014 By 28th MDOS Public Health Office 28th Medical Operations Squadron ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- Recent rainfall, resulting in increased mosquito activity, has prompted officials to inform Airmen and their families how to prevent bites and reduce the chance of contracting the West Nile virus. As of Aug. 5, South Dakota has had 12 cases of West Nile, with 149 cases reported in 2013. Counties with cases include: Beadle, Brown, Codington, Edmunds, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Hughes, Lincoln and Marshall. Mosquitoes discovered in Meade County have tested positive for West Nile, but to date, there have been no human cases. While mosquitoes normally leave behind a tiny, red bump that itches, they can also spread disease. Among those diseases is the West Nile virus - the most common mosquito-borne illness in South Dakota. The West Nile virus is usually transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito - one who has fed on an infected bird and proceeded to infect other animals and humans. However, the virus cannot be passed from person to person or animal to animal through casual contact or by handling or consuming live or dead infected birds or animals. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people who become infected with the West Nile virus will not develop any symptoms. Approximately one in five will experience a fever, headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash and will make a complete recovery. Only one percent of those infected will develop symptoms such as a high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, seizures or paralysis. Individuals who develop any of these symptoms should seek medical treatment immediately. Although the risk of infection is minimal, it can be further reduced by implementing the following control measures: - Use insect repellent with 33 percent DEET on exposed skin, but do not use on children less than two months of age - Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn - Wear shoes, socks, pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors for long periods of time or when mosquitoes are most active - Ensure doors and window screens are in place and are free of holes - Eliminate any standing water - breeding grounds for mosquitoes - by doing things like turning plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows upside-down when not in use, or ensuring rain gutters are not clogged and function properly For more information, call the 28th Medical Operations Squadron Public Health Office at 605-385-3383.