Mosquito Control in Harris County- Combating Zika and Other Mosquitos

August 16, 2016 admin

The Mosquito Control Division of Harris County protects the health and well-being of county residents through surveillance, control, education, research, and technology to prevent and control mosquito-borne diseases, including St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) and West Nile Virus (WNV) encephalitis. Activities include:

Monitoring the Culex mosquito population, the primary transmitter of SLE and WNV
Laboratory analysis of mosquito samples to detect SLE and WNV
Monitoring and testing of live and dead birds for SLE and WNV
Conducting ground and aerial spraying activities in areas with confirmed SLE and WNV
Providing education, training and information to citizens, schools, community groups and the media regarding SLE, WNV and mosquito control
Conducting research to incorporate data into operational activities
Utilizing the Geographical Information System (GIS) to track and monitor mosquito-borne diseases

Zika virus is a disease spread primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito, specifically, Aedes species mosquito. These are the same mosquitoes that spread other viruses such as dengue and chikungunya.

The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito. People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and death is rare. There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika virus. During pregnancy, Zika virus can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly, as well as other severe fetal brain defects, and Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Once a person has been infected, he or she is likely to be protected from future infections.

Though Zika is primarily a mosquito-borne virus, spread of the virus through sexual contact has also been reported. If individuals have traveled to Zika-infected areas and suspect they have become infected with the virus, it is recommended that they use safe-sex practices and notify their healthcare provider for further evaluation.\