Pools of mosquitoes in El Paso County found with St. Louis encephalitis virus

El Paso Times
Times staff report
Sept. 9, 2022

The threat to El Paso County residents from mosquitoes continues to increase with the first confirmation this year of pools of mosquitoes carrying the St. Louis encephalitis virus.

The city of El Paso Department of Public Health said Texas officials made the identification.  

The virus was found in a group of mosquitoes collected from traps set by the Environmental Services Department-Vector Control in the 79925 and 79907 ZIP codes, according to a news release.

Health officials urge residents to take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites.

“Vulnerable populations for COVID-19 are some of the same individuals who could be affected greatly by diseases transmitted from a mosquito bite,” City-County Health Authority Dr. Hector Ocaranza said in the news release. “We need to be vigilant and proactive in order to prevent mosquito breeding and mosquito bites. With this finding, it is important that people remove standing water around homes and protect themselves from mosquito bites.”

Fourth case of West Nile virus

The city of El Paso Department of Public Health also has received its fourth confirmed severe case of the West Nile virus in the community.

Officials announced a man is his late 40s with underlying medical conditions was confirmed to have contracted the central nervous system West Nile virus disease and has been released from a hospital.

Human are infected through bites from infected mosquitoes.

The mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds.

The infected birds circulate the virus in their blood.

Symptoms of West Nile include fever, headache, tiredness, body aches, nausea, vomiting and swollen lymph glands.

Humans are a “dead-end” host and can’t infect other humans through casual contact, health officials said.

While severe illness can occur in people of any age, those older than 60 are at greater risk.

Symptoms of St. Louis encephalitis are similar to West Nile and include high fever, stupor, coma, vision loss, headache, disorientation, tremors, muscle weakness, neck stiffness, numbness, convulsions and paralysis.

Residents can report standing water and mosquito breeding by calling 915-212-6000.

Tips to avoid mosquito bites

Officials say the best way to avoid exposure to mosquito-borne diseases is to practice “The Four D’s”:

DEET – Use insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR3535, or 2-undecanone outdoors. To optimize safety and effectiveness, repellents should be used according to the label instructions.

Dress – When weather permits, wear long sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors. Mosquitoes can bite through thin clothing, so it’s recommended to spray your clothes with repellent.

Drain – Reduce the number of mosquitoes around and outside a home by emptying standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires, and birdbaths regularly. Don’t forget to change pet’s water bowl daily.