Pets are in greater danger of getting heart worms

Posted: May 16, 2009 06:34 PM

By Delivrine Registre -

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - The battle continues against mosquitoes in Southwest Georgia. And that fight may move to the air. They are breeding and biting, and county officials are receiving a record number of complaints after the mosquito population exploded during spring flooding.

Dougherty County officials are now talking with FEMA about aerial applications of mosquito [larvicide or adulticide] in order to hit some of those hard to reach areas of standing water. Environmental protection is currently spraying seven days a week to combat the problem.

Public health declared a health emergency in 23 South Georgia counties because of the danger from so many mosquitoes. Most South Georgians are aware of the dangers of mosquito-borne illnesses like West Nile Virus.

So it's important to take steps to protect your family, but what many don't realize is mosquitoes also pose a threat to pets. And with all of the standing water in our area, your pet has an even greater chance of contracting a potentially deadly disease.

Long, white strands were removed from the bloodstream of a cat that died from heart worm disease. And that transmission likely began in standing water. "The only way a pet can become infected by heart worms is by being bitten by a mosquito that is carrying heart worms," said Dr. Fred Freeland of Albany Pet Partners.

Heart worms are parasitic worms that live in the heart and lungs of infected animals. Mosquitoes become carriers when they feed on them, but prevention is often as easy as giving your pet a pill every month.

"There are products that only treat heart worms and can cost three to four dollars a month for a large dog," said Dr. Freeland. Regardless, many pets still go untreated. "The sad thing about heart worms is that it is an invisible disease to the owner," said Dr. Freeland.

And with all of the standing water left from late March storms, the risk of heart worm infection is high. "There is no question we will likely see more mosquito borne-diseases and not just heart worms," said Dr.
Freeland.

"The frustrating thing is that we won't see the effects of the mosquitoes until six months from now." Vets say even isolated pets are at risk. "Heart worms are present in coyotes, foxes and the wild dog population that no body treats."

An infected dog can be treated with a series of three injections that are so strong they can kill your pet. "I would much rather prevent them than run the risk of having a dog die of the disease or die during treatment," said Dr. Freeland.

And is why vets are pushing prevention for pet owners especially at a time when flood waters can produce more carriers. You can do your part to keep the mosquito population low around your home by dumping out any standing water in any water bowls, flower pots, bird baths and old tires.


©2009 WALB News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

This year's mosquito season could be a bad one, a Georgia expert says

Surge in mosquitoes expected, expert says By Preston Sparks | Staff Writer

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

This year's mosquito season could be a bad one, a Georgia expert says.

"With returned rains, I would think we're going to have populations that we haven't experienced in two to three years," said Elmer Gray, a University of Georgia public health extension specialist who focuses on mosquito education.

He said south Georgia has reported mosquito increases, and the Augusta area should begin seeing larger numbers in the next month.

Officials blame the surge on the 18-month drought during which mosquito eggs sat waiting for water. Now those eggs are hatching.

"So what you're getting now is ... almost two years' worth of mosquito eggs hatching out," said Fred Koehle, an operations manager for Richmond County Mosquito Control, which recently began its treatments. "They're the worst I've seen in the past four years, so it's tough."

Mr. Koehle said he could use extra funding and would like to add a full-time worker to run a spray truck. He said he could speed the cycle of treating the county from 41/2 weeks to three.

But that won't happen this year. He said last year his office got $170,000 and an additional $50,000 from the county.

"This year, we got the $170,000 and that's it," he said.

At the start of this year, Mr. Koehle said, his department began enforcing a county ordinance that forbids a home or business owner from allowing standing water that breeds mosquitoes. He said he has two cases involving swimming pools pending in magistrate court.

Property owners can be cited if they do nothing within 45 days of an inspection. The violation is a misdemeanor and could result in a fine of as much as $1,000, he said.

Other areas are doing their part.

"We're hoping to start (larvicide granule spray treatments) this week and carry on out until the population starts getting lower," said Robbie Hunt, who is in charge of Aiken's mosquito-abatement program.

Aiken County started spraying May 6, said Assistant County Administrator Todd Glover.

In Columbia County, Emergency Services Director Pam Tucker said larvicide pellets are used because sprays "kill only what is in the path of the spray." She said the county is maintaining past funding for mosquito abatement.

Reach Preston Sparks at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or preston.sparks@augustachronicle.com.

CONTROL CHECKLIST

- Dispose of old tires, buckets or other water-holding containers.

- Fill in or drain low areas.

- Clean out drains or ditches, allowing easier drainage.

- Cover your trash container.

- Repair any leaking pipes or faucets.

- Empty plastic wading pools and store them indoors.

- Fill in tree rot holes.

- At least once a week, change the water in bird baths and plant pots.

- Keep grass cut short and shrubs trimmed.

- Make sure window and door screens are "bug tight."

- Replace outdoor lights with yellow "bug" lights, which attract fewer mosquitoes.

- Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing. Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors.

- Use an insect repellent approved by the Environment Protection Agency.

Source: City of Aiken newsletter; Columbia County Emergency Services Director Pam Tucker; Elmer Gray, University of Georgia public health extension specialist

Environmental Control workers tackle mosquitoes

April 23, 2009 12:15 AM
By Len Kiesel

DOUGHERTY COUNTY, GA (WALB) - If you hear some buzzing outside your home, that's a good thing. County sprayers are working late into the night seven days a week to get rid of pesky mosquitoes.

All that rain early this Spring resulted in hundreds of complaints about the pests all over Dougherty County. Flooded neighborhoods are getting hit the hardest.

Boat was the method of transportation some weeks ago after torrential downpours in Dougherty County. In some neighborhoods it seems like not much has changed. "We had a tremendous amount of standing water," said Radium Springs homeowner Tony Conley.

Some homes along Radium Springs Road are still surrounded by water.
Conley says that's not all they're dealing with. "I noticed that the mosquitoes have picked up quite a bit," said Conley.

The increase is adding irritating insult to injury. "With the extra mosquitoes, it just made matters twice as bad," said Conley.

Twice as bad mosquito conditions have environmental control folks working twice as hard. "The mosquitoes are keeping me pretty busy. We're working seven days a week," said Dougherty County Environmental Control Director Mathis.

Four sprayers are hitting the streets five hours each night. Between 6:30 and 11:30, you'll see them around town. "That's the time when mosquitoes are active," said Mathis.

The recent rain has caused mosquito problems they haven't experienced in quite a while. The standing water is the perfect breeding environment.
"But we're doing the things we need to do to combat the problem," said Mathis.

Crews are attacking them by water and by air. Meanwhile, they're asking residents to be patient. "We're undergoing changes we haven't seen in a very long time and we know everybody wants to be sprayed but we can't spray everybody at the same time so we're just asking people to be patient. Just wait a little while and we will be around to spray those areas," said Mathis.

The spraying is a welcome sight for residents like Conley. "I've seen the trucks come through spraying the spray. I'm not certain if it works or not but of course I was glad to see them," said Conley. He might as well get used to seeing them. It looks like the water is taking it's sweet time going away.

You can also help curb the mosquito problem by dumping out water from containers in your yard. Also protect yourself by contacting a Mosquito control professional about automated systems or regular scheduled yard spraying.

Insect Bites – When Do They Become An Emergency?

Most of the time there is little to worry about when one is bitten or stung by an insect. These attacks often cause very few problems other than initial shock and pain.

However, the same bite on small children and those with allergies can be serious. Make sure to heed signs that the victim may need medical attention. Rapid inflammation and other adverse reactions to a bite or sting could be an indicator of an allergy. The best way to keep calm and handle the situation effectively is to know what common reactions look like, so it is possible to identify emergency situations.

Ants

Even the most pristine summer day can be sullied by an ant bite. Thankfully most injuries caused by ant are only hurt at the time of the attack. In fact, the only species of at that cause serious problems in the United States is the fire ant. This insect originally came from South America and is only found in the southern states.

Fire ants sting any creature that is seen as a threat to their colony and usually leave a blister that may itch. Since they have very potent venom, the area may in some cases swell. About 15% of people may have an allergic reaction to the venom and go into anaphylaxis. Though the severity of the reaction can vary, in the most serious cases the victim may have trouble breathing, form hives, and feel faint. Cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, runny nose, and anxiety are less common symptoms. Those who are experiencing this reaction should be taken to a doctor as soon as possible.

Bees and Wasps

People who have been stung by a bee or wasp before know that though the sting can be very painful, it usually has no other adverse effects. In the case of a sting, remove the stinger immediately (in the case of a bee sting) and wash the infected area. A normal injury will be red and the area around it will swell, but some ibuprofen should virtually remove the pain and discomfort.

Being stung more than half a dozen times is always a concern. Multiple stings may cause serious reactions even in those who do not have an allergy. Children are especially susceptible to high doses of venom. Also, stings on the inside of the mouth or throat require immediate medical attention because they can swell and constrict the airway.

There are several symptoms that signal an allergic reaction for those who are unaware they have the allergy or cannot communicate the problem.
Itching or hives in other places than the affected area are a tip off that the venom from the insect is traveling through the body.
Problems breathing, difficulty swallowing, and faintness are all signs that the victim’s body is swelling rapidly.

Those who have severe common reactions may keep a dose of adrenalin around in the form of an Epi-Pen, but even after the shot is administered they should be taken to the hospital.

Mosquitoes and Ticks

Mosquito bites are mainly just a minor annoyance. Even those who are allergic to the bite may only experience uncomfortable swelling. A mosquito bite is never an emergency, but it can harbor dangerous diseases like West Nile virus and other types of encephalitis. Those infected will experience flu-like symptoms within a few days and should go see a doctor.

Ticks are found in wooded areas and tall grasses. They attach themselves onto animals and feed off of their blood. Most varieties of tick will leave no more than a small bite wound when removed, but the small deer tick can pass along Lyme disease to humans. Those who have been bitten by a tick will develop a bulls-eye rash or experience swelling if they have been infected and should seek treatment.

Spiders

Though spiders are not insects, their bite can be cause for emergency medical treatment. Bites from spiders are rare because they are extremely defensive creatures that usually shy away from humans. About 2% of bites are any cause or concern and even less are considered emergencies.

Only two types of spiders found in the United States are fatal to humans. The black widow and brown recluse are easily identifiable. Within a few minutes of the bite the victim should be in intense pain. Those who are bitten by one of these spiders should go to the hospital immediately.

Handling a Bite or Sting

Most bites or sting simply need to be washed with soup or water. In a few cases, cold should be applied to reduce swelling. If the victim has a known insect allergy, it may be a good idea to go to the hospital anyway. Those experiencing any severe reactions should be taken to the emergency room.

Submitted By: Stephanie Larkin

Mosquito Survives In Outer Space

Mosquito Survives In Outer Space

File image.

by Alexander Peslyak
RIA Novosti commentator
Moscow (RIA) Feb 20, 2009

Preparations are underway for a manned mission to Mars. Cosmonauts who might fly to the Red Planet are learning how to survive in a forest outside Moscow. Scientists from the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medical and Biological Problems are assessing the impact of cosmic radiation on living organisms, one of which even managed to survive in outer space.

Anatoly Grigoryev, vice president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told RIA Novosti that a mosquito had managed to survive in outer space. First, it appeared that Grigoryev was talking about a spider running loose aboard the International Space Station. Incredibly, a mosquito slept for 18 months on the outer ISS surface. "We brought him back to Earth. He is alive, and his feet are moving," Grigoryev said.

The mosquito did not get any food and was subjected to extreme temperatures ranging from minus 150 degrees Celsius in the shade to plus 60 degrees in the sunlight.

Grigoryev said the insect had been taken outside the ISS on orders from the Institute's scientists working on the Biorisk experiment. "First, they studied bacteria and fungi till a Japanese scientist suggested studying mosquitoes," Grigoryev told RIA Novosti.

Since 2005, the Institute has been cooperating with two Japanese institutes under a grant and has been studying biological objects with preset properties, including barley and peas with high genetic resistance.

"Professor Takashi Okuda from the National Institute of Agro-Biological Science drew our attention to the unique, although short-lived, African mosquito (bloodworm), whose larvae develop only in a humid environment," Grigoryev said.

Rains are rare in Africa, where puddles dry up before one's eyes. However, this mosquito is well-adapted to adverse local conditions, existing in a state of suspended animation when vital bodily functions stop almost completely.

When suspended animation sets in, water molecules are replaced by tricallosa sugar, which leads to natural crystallization. The larvae were then sprayed with acetone, boiled and cooled down to minus 210 degrees Celsius, the temperature of liquid nitrogen. Amazingly, they survived all these hardships.

The Japanese also studied bloodworm DNA and found that it could be switched on and deactivated in 30 to 40 minutes. "This is facilitated by the crystallization of biological matter," Doctor of Biology Vladimir Sychev from the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems told RIA Novosti.

Dr. Sychev said scientists were interested in this mechanism, which makes it possible to assess the potential of living organisms subjected to multiple loads in outer space.

He said plant studies had made headway, but that living organisms were affected by gravitation, radiation and temperature fluctuations.

In the summer of 2007, Russian cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov placed a gray cylinder with 24 cups containing barley seeds, bacteria, crustaceans (Dafnia Magna), bloodworm larvae and other biological objects, on the outer ISS surface. More than a year later, cosmonauts Sergei Volkov and Oleg Kononenko removed the cylinder and returned it to Earth.

The unique Biorisk experiment made it possible to study the impact of vacuum, subzero and hot temperatures and radiation on biological objects. It is impossible to simulate these processes, Dr. Sychev stressed.

He said scientists were planning to send a number of microorganisms to Phobos, one of the Mars moons, under the Phobos-Grunt program, and to return them to Earth. This will make it possible to assess their survival and reversible suspended-animation mechanisms.

Dr. Sychev also discussed various findings of the Biorisk project. First, it appears that panspermia, the hypothesis that "seeds" of life already exist all over the Universe, that life on Earth may have originated through these "seeds," and that they may deliver or have delivered life to other habitable bodies, is quite plausible.

Second, it is becoming possible to choose various methods and options for placing biological objects in a state of suspended animation and transporting them on long-duration space missions. An interplanetary Noah's Ark would probably contain crystallized animals and other living organisms, thereby reducing feeding costs.

Although this is still in the realm of science fiction, researchers are currently preparing to sum up Russian and Japanese findings.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.

West Nile Virus: The Bite That Can Kill

Published on 5 February 2009, 10:06

New Haven, Conn. — Why do some people exposed to West Nile virus get deathly ill and others emerge unscathed? In a study that both helps to answer that question and could point the way toward prevention and effective treatment, scientists at Yale University have isolated deficiencies in the immune system that create increased susceptibility to infection by the West Nile virus. Their work appears in the February 20 issue of Immunity.

West Nile has emerged as the most common cause of mosquito-borne viral encephalitis in North America and is a public health concern around the world. The elderly and people with compromised immune systems are especially at risk for life-threatening neurological diseases such as encephalitis and meningitis as a result of infection with the West Nile virus. An approved therapy does not yet exist.

The Yale team looked at the sophisticated interplay of immune system sensors in mice that are supposed to recognize infectious agents and combat them. Mice with detection and response systems that were compromised had much greater susceptibility to a lethal infection of West Nile. Their immune systems could not muster the strength to take aim at the infection and fight it off.

Dr. Erol Fikrig, an author of the study, said, “we are optimistic that the same mechanisms will be important in human infection.”

The Yale team’s findings may also offer a key to developing a treatment aimed at stimulating specific agents of the immune response to West Nile that fail when they are most needed, putting the elderly and those with compromised immune systems at greater risk of dying.

But, Fikrig cautioned, “Therapy for West Nile encephalitis is likely to be very challenging because it is important to administer treatment before the full-blown disease has developed, and this is not always possible.”

The research was conducted at the Yale School of Medicine in the laboratories of Richard A. Flavell, Department of Immunobiology and Erol Fikrig, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine. Lead researchers were Terrence Town, formerly of the Yale School of Medicine and currently with the University of California, Los Angeles Department of Medicine, and Fengwei Bai of the Yale School of Medicine.

Contact: Helen Dodson 203-436-3984

Source: Yale University