RAIN MAY BOOST WEST NILE VIRUS THREAT.Byline: Kerry Cavanaugh Staff Writer This season's record rainfall could lead to more mosquitoes - and possibly a higher risk of West Nile virus West Nile virus, microorganism and the infection resulting from it, which typically produces no symptoms or a flulike condition. The virus is a flavivirus and is related to a number of viruses that cause encephalitis. - if Mother Nature delivers Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, a warm, early spring, experts said Wednesday. Mosquito activity picks up as the mercury climbs, so the combination of sunny 75-degree weather and small pockets of standing water could generate an explosion in the number of mosquitoes. While the big puddles may evaporate quickly or get sprayed, vector control Vector control is any method to limit or eradicate the vectors of vector born diseases, for which the pathogen (e.g. virusor parasite) is transmitted by a vector which can be mammals, birds or arthropods, especially insects, and more specifically mosquitoes. officials worry more about small, hidden sources of stagnant water on private property, such as rain gutters and basements. ``A lot of people have pots and pans and drain plates under their planters. If you just go into your back yard, there will be lots of thimblefuls and cupfuls'' of water, said Minoo Madon, technical services director for the Greater Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Vector Control District. A boom in mosquitoes raises the risk of another West Nile virus outbreak. Last year Los Angeles County was considered the epicenter of the mosquito-borne disease, with more than 300 people diagnosed with West Nile fever West Nile fever West Nile meningoencephalitis Infectious disease An acute, mosquito-borne flaviviral infection endemic–rarely, epidemic–in the Near East, Africa, former Soviet Union, India Clinical After a 3-6 day incubation, children present with a . However, there's no telling yet how West Nile virus will behave this year. ``There will be some activity this year and we don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. how much. We could see a repeat occurrence of last year or we could see a slowdown,'' Madon said. The wet winter could lead to an increase in other pests and critters as well, particularly rodents. ``With the increased rainfall you have increased forage for wildlife,'' said Jim Hartman, acting deputy commissioner for pest management at the Los Angeles Agriculture Commission. ``It wouldn't surprise me in a few years if we have additional ground squirrels, especially if we have another wet year.'' Hartman said the rodent population wouldn't increase immediately. Rather, rodents would fatten up Verb 1. fatten up - make fat or plump; "We will plump out that poor starving child" fat, fatten, fatten out, flesh out, plump out, plump, fill out alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile this year and then reproduce more offspring in the coming year. That could also provide more food for raptors, coyotes and other predators. Kerry Cavanaugh, (818) 713-3746 kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com |
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