West Nile Virus is transmitted by
mosquitoes to humans. Most people
infected with West Nile will never
know they’ve had it. One in one
hundred fifty people will develop a
high fever, headache, stiff neck,
disorientation, coma, convulsions,
tremors, visions loss, muscle
weakness and paralysis.
How to Protect Your
Family Against West Nile
Virus

by Julie McMurchie
Symptoms typically begin appearing three to fourteen days after a bite
from an infected mosquito, and may last for several weeks. Neurological
effects can be permanent.

Mosquitoes are vector agents, carrying disease causing viruses and
parasites from human to human without contracting the disease
themselves. Yellow fever, dengue fever, malaria and West Nile are all
viral diseases transmitted by mosquitoes.

Both female and male mosquitoes are nectar eating insects. Females
require the extra nutrients from a blood meal to produce eggs, which are
laid generally two to three days after the meal. Each female mosquito is
capable of laying 50 to 300 eggs each cycle. Eggs are primarily laid in
stagnant water. As little as one fluid ounce is enough water to support
the eggs through the end of the pupa stage. Adult mosquitoes will
generally mate within a few days of emerging from the pupa stage. A
female mosquito will mate several times during her life span, making her
capable of producing potentially thousands of offspring. Mosquito season
runs May through October.
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