Mosquito Awareness Week, observed April 16 - 22, 2023, educates California residents about mosquitoes and how to help prevent the spread of mosquito-transmitted diseases.
One of the wettest years in history has left standing water across the state, creating perfect conditions for mosquitoes to develop. Stagnant water creates havens for disease-spreading mosquitoes, and mosquito experts are concerned this could be a long and intense mosquito season.
“After record amounts of rainfall this year, it is really important for all Californians to dump and drain standing water that has accumulated in their yards, porches, and patios,” said Assemblymember Jim Wood, who authored the state resolution recognizing California Mosquito Awareness Week. “It only takes a small amount of water for mosquitoes to develop so removing all stagnant water is a simple but very effective way to help to eliminate mosquitoes from our community. Not only are mosquitoes a nuisance, but they can transmit deadly diseases. Let's all work together to fight the bite!”
West Nile virus, spread by Culex mosquitoes, is the most prevalent and serious mosquito-borne disease in California. There is no human vaccine for West Nile virus, a disease which can cause debilitating cases of meningitis, encephalitis, and even death. In 2022, there were 209 human West Nile virus disease cases from 28 counties in California, including 13 human deaths.
In addition, invasive Aedes mosquitoes continue to spread throughout the state. First detected in 2013, they have spread to 25 counties and 300 cities and towns. These mosquitoes are very hard to control and pose a serious public health threat because they can spread diseases like Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever to people and animal heartworm to pets.
According to the California Department of Public Health, since 2016 there have been nearly 900 California residents with travel-associated dengue infections. While there has not yet been local transmission of dengue in the state, it is occurring at California's borders, making the threat even more real. In 2022, the border state of Sonora, Mexico had more than 9,000 cases with 91 people dying from dengue. In December 2022 in Maricopa County, Arizona, two individuals tested positive for dengue, which they acquired locally from a mosquito bite.
“While all of the rain has been great for the drought, it provides mosquitoes with more places to lay their eggs,” said Wakoli Wekesa, PhD, president of the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California. “As we work to keep Californians safe from mosquito-transmitted diseases and combat the spread of invasive Aedes, it's critical that residents take simple precautions to protect themselves and keep their communities mosquito-free.”
Mosquito experts say the future of mosquito control requires innovation to protect the public from mosquito-borne diseases. Mosquito and vector control agencies in California are exploring the potential use of three innovative technologies: self-limiting mosquitoes, Wolbachia, and irradiation. More information about the need for innovative technologies and how they work is available on the MVCAC website.
Everyone can do their part to help prevent mosquito bites:
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Apply insect repellent containing an EPA-registered active ingredient, including DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535, to clothes and exposed skin according to label instructions. Repellents keep mosquitoes from biting. It is important to follow EPA and CDC guidelines for the safe use of repellents on children.
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Dress in long sleeves and pants, especially if outside at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes that can spread West Nile virus are most active.
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Install screens on windows and doors and keep them in good repair to keep mosquitoes out of your home.
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Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property, including in flowerpots, old tires, buckets, pet dishes, and trash cans. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in very small amounts of standing water.
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Repair leaking faucets and broken sprinklers that can contribute to standing water around your home.
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Clean rain gutters clogged with leaves.
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Report neglected swimming pools and day-biting mosquitoes to your local mosquito and vector control agency (agency information can be found at www.mvcac.org)
To learn more, please visit the MVCAC website or the California Department of Public Health Mosquitoes and Mosquito-Borne Diseases webpage.
About MVCAC
The Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) is the statewide voice for mosquito and vector control professionals. The association provides public health information, expertise, mosquito and vector-borne disease surveillance, innovative research, professional training, effective legislative and regulatory advocacy on behalf of California public agencies.
[Shared from the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California. View UC IPM's Pest Notes: Mosquitoes for more information.]
- Author: Wendy Powers
It's an extra short week for me. I am having a ‘no meeting' Friday to take care of a few personal meetings and then catch up before the weekend hits. I look forward to cooler temperatures to make yard work a bit easier. I envy David's trip up north this week where the temps are more comfortable. I was surprised to hear from Lenya about the Monument Fire in Trinity County. As large as it is, I am surprised it hasn't made the news like the other fires have.
The week has entailed a series of 1-hr meetings, a few of which have ended early. Salary advancement conversations have been the purpose of several of the meetings. In addition, I met with National 4-H Council, Extension Foundation, and the Northeast Extension Directors. I am working on my workplan as incoming chair of ECOP, that national Cooperative Extension organization. We are strategizing how to build resources for the system as a whole. Hopefully, I won't spend the year meeting with people through virtual meetings, only. We can only speculate where the pandemic is headed. I continue to keep travel to a minimum, unless I can hop in the car to get somewhere.
One of the recent achievements for the national Cooperative Extension organization is funding from CDC to encourage vaccination. Ricardo, Marcel, Linda, and others have worked hard to develop TV spots targeting non-English speakers. Here's just one of 8 30-second TV spots: Variantes del Coronavirus / COVID-19 variants. Leyla has actively shared some of the other UC ANR activities with the CDC project manager around this topic. I learned today that another, much larger grant with NOAA focused on climate smart communities is right around the corner. Start formulating ideas and how we might partner with Sea Grant to prepare communities across California. We will continue to look for more novel partners and assess how we can work with other states to achieve project goals.
I hope everyone enjoys the weekend!
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
- Author: Elaine Lander
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Advisory recently in response to increased reports of illness associated with products containing the pesticide ivermectin. Ivermectin is an active ingredient that is typically used to treat internal animal parasites such as roundworms, threadworms, and other parasites, and external parasites such as head lice. It is an anti-parasitic pesticide not an anti-viral. The FDA has not approved ivermectin for use in treating or preventing COVID-19.
The CDC health advisory states “Veterinary formulations intended for use in large animals such as horses, sheep, and cattle (e.g., “sheep drench,” injection formulations, and “pour-on” products for cattle) can be highly concentrated and result in overdoses when used by humans. Animal products may also contain inactive ingredients that have not been evaluated for use in humans. People who take inappropriately high doses of ivermectin above FDA-recommended dosing may experience toxic effects.”
Part of the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program's mission is to provide pesticide information to residents of California to protect human health and the environment. We address public health issues as they relate to pests of homes, people, pets, structures, and plants. Part of our educational efforts in this area is on pesticide use and safety. We do not and cannot comment on medically advised prescriptions or treatment for human diseases and ailments such as influenza, measles, asthma, COVID-19, or any other contagious diseases. However, it is within our charge to share information about registered pesticides, their safe use, and consequences to human health.
Visit our website for more information on pesticides in homes and landscapes. If you suspect that you or someone you know is experiencing serious illness due to pesticide exposure, contact the Poison Control hotline at 800-222-1222.
- Author: John M Harper
The CDC has released their Fall Influenza Frequently Asked Questions for the 2021-22 flu season. I suggest reading the top line bullet points at a minimum, but the guide addresses COVID and Flu vaccine administration timing among flu-related questions and concerns.
- Author: Wendy Powers
The long weekend is only a week away. I need it now. This week the meetings seem to go forever. Did you know that if we lived on Venus, the ‘day' would be equivalent to almost 117 Earth days? Earth clearly has its advantages. I can't even imagine a day of Zoom meetings on Venus!
This week I am on a review panel for a joint effort between CDC and the national Cooperative Extension system. We are reviewing proposals for funding to increase vaccination rates. Proposals were due last Friday. As a result we are reading, reviewing, and ranking all this week. No room for changing our evaluations.
Scheduled around panel meetings have been a number of other meetings including a design-a-thon led by Darren to envision a Hub for Urban Living. A number of people from around the country registered; I am curious how many participated. The breakout sessions I attended were primarily, almost exclusively, California-based participants. The conversations were fascinating. I am eager to think through next steps to keep the conversation and momentum going.
I had a chance to attend a portion of the Asian Pacific Heritage month webinar. I liked the format as it was fast paced and full of information. If you haven't had a chance to attend yet, consider next week's session (Tuesday at 3 PM). The session will focus on bystander intervention training. We all need to do our part to end Asian hate and associated violent acts!
I had an interesting call inviting UC ANR to participate in a 5-state project to promote community health. The effort will link us more closely to UC Health. An exciting opportunity that could lead to all sorts of new adventures! Today I participated in a call to envision how Cooperative Extension could increase efforts around workforce development for youth and adults, by functioning as conveners, facilitators, and educators. Those of us on the call were charged with bringing our visions to a meeting on Monday to move forward funding conversations. Time to get the dream board out this weekend and put some ideas on paper. Fortunately, this connects back to some of the conversation about the Hub for Urban Living.
I am down to 60 or so merit/promotion decisions left to finalize. But, before I get back to dossiers or dream about funding sources for new programming, I had better get back to those vaccination proposals. Occasionally, I could use a day on Venus to get things done.