Larimer County sees season's 1st cases of West Nile virus in humans

Bethany Osborn, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·2 min read

Two Larimer County residents have contracted West Nile virus from infected Culex mosquitoes, the county's Department of Health and Environment reported Tuesday.

The individuals live in Berthoud and Fort Collins and represent the first two human cases of West Nile virus this season.

West Nile disease is a viral infection spread to people through bites from infected Culex mosquitoes. Mosquitoes become infected when they bite birds that have the virus. While people can become infected with the virus, they cannot spread it to another person.

Anyone who spends a significant amount of time outside has a risk of being bitten by an infected mosquito. People over the age of 50 or those who have serious diseases or immune disorders have a higher risk of developing a more serious infection, according to the county's website.

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About 80% of people who become infected do not develop any symptoms, and 20% develop mild symptoms which include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash, according to county health officials. While it's rare, some people can develop what's called West Nile fever, which can progress into a severe neuroinvasive infection leading to hospitalization, critical illness, chronic disability or death, county officials said in a press release. Symptoms can appear anywhere between three and 14 days after being bitten.

County health officials have been working with local cities, towns and Colorado State University since June to monitor the presence of infected mosquitoes. This process involves trapping and testing the mosquitoes throughout various parts of the county. West Nile-infected mosquitoes were detected in Larimer County for the first time this season about a month ago.

Since then, the city of Fort Collins has sprayed in portions of the city. Fort Collins officials on Tuesday announced plans to spray for mosquitos on Thursday, Aug. 25, and Sunday, Aug. 28, in the northeast portion of the city. Spraying will generally take place northeast of College Avenue and Drake Road.

Residents in Larimer County can monitor when their areas will be sprayed for mosquitos here.

How you can protect yourself: The Four D's

  • Defend: Wear mosquito repellent that has been proven to be effective against infected mosquitos like DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus and IR3535.

  • Dusk to Dawn: Avoid exposure during peak feeding times for mosquitoes — from dusk through dawn.

  • Dress: Wear long sleeves and pants when recreating outside.

  • Drain: Remove any water in your yard or garden as they can become mosquito breeding areas.

Source: Larimer County Department of Health and Environment

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: First cases of West Nile virus in humans detected in Larimer County