Mosquitoes in College Township Test Positive for West Nile Virus

A sample of mosquitoes recently collected in College Township has test positive for West Nile Virus, according to a release on Wednesday by the Centre County Planning and Community Development Office, which received the results from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Vector Management.

It is the county’s first confirmed positive sample this year.

Centre County Mosquito Disease Control Program staff are performing additional surveillance, sampling and larval control as necessary.

West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne disease that produces severe neurological symptoms in about 1% of humans that become infected as the result of a bite by an infected mosquito. Most people do not develop any symptoms, but some may experience headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.

Residents are advised to take pre-emptive measures by cleaning up, reducing yard clutter and dumping out any sources of stagnant water such as used tires, ornamental ponds, poorly functioning gutters, unused swimming pools, buckets, toys and tarps.

Most mosquitos in residential areas come from artificial containers left to collect stagnant water, which protect larvae from natural predators. Even during dry periods, such containers continue to hold water and a single bucket or tire can produce hundreds to thousands of mosquitoes in a year.

“Performing a community-wide cleanup will help reduce most mosquito concerns,” the release said. “Residents are urged to contact their local municipality to help promote cleaning up to reduce mosquito concerns and disease risk. Stormwater management systems can sometimes contribute to mosquito issues and are routinely monitored by the Centre County Mosquito Disease Control Program staff.”

From May through October, mosquitoes complete their life cycle within five to seven days. Residents should use repellents when spending time outside. As a last resort, they can purchase insecticides from garden centers and hardware stores to spray in their yard but need to be sure to follow the label instructions.

The Centre County surveillance and control program is funded by a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection grant. Between mid-April and October, licensed personnel trap adult mosquitoes in populated areas and send them to DEP for testing.

The county had four mosquito samples test positive last year and had no human cases. In 2019, Centre County had only two confirmed cases of West Nile virus — one in mosquito and one in a bird. In 2018, there were 90 confirmed cases: 57 in mosquitoes, 18 in birds, 11 in horses and four in humans.

Centre County residents can report mosquito concerns through the Pennsylvania West Nile Virus website or by contacting the Centre County Mosquito Disease Control Program at 814-355-6791.