‘Wear your bug spray,’ health officials warn: Five different mosquito-borne diseases have infected Floridians. (South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 31, 2024)

Overdevelopment and deforestation contribute to proliferation of mosquito-borne diseases in Florida.  

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I welcome you to join with St. Johns County residents in supporting my candidacy for Commissioner,  Anastasia Mosquito Control District of St. Johns County, seat 1. From South Florida Sun Sentinel:

‘Wear your bug spray,’ health officials warn. Five different mosquito-borne diseases have infected Floridians

The list includes West Nile, dengue, Chikungunya, malaria and the newest: Oropouche

A Walgreens drugstore on the corner of Prima Vista and Bayshore boulevards in Port St. Lucie is advertising yellow fever shots on Thursday. (Kathy Laskowski/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

By CINDY KRISCHER GOODMAN | cgoodman@sunsentinel.com | South Florida Sun Sentinel

UPDATED: August 29, 2024 at 4:06 PM EDT

The risk for an infection from a mosquito bite is higher than usual in Florida now, with cases of five different mosquito-borne diseases identified in the state.

Experts say the hot, humid, rainy weather and an uptick in summer travel have put health officials on the offensive as they try to control the spread of mosquito-borne diseases being reported among Florida residents.

Already this year, at least seven people in Florida have been bitten by a mosquito carrying West Nile virus.  In addition, the newest mosquito-borne disease to reach Florida is Oropouche, a virus that has proved deadly in South America. It arrived in Florida via travelers to Cuba. So far, 30 travel-associated Oropouche fever cases have been reported in Florida, including 10 in the last week.

Other mosquito-borne diseases reported in Florida in 2024 are dengue, Chikungunya fever, and malaria. Symptoms range from fever and chills to brain inflammation.

“We have been treating mosquitoes aggressively, working 24/7 over the last few weeks,” said Anh Ton, the director of Broward County’s mosquito control.

Workers regularly check traps set throughout the county for adult mosquitoes and examine water sources for signs of larvae to eliminate mosquitoes before they mature. Broward is nowusing a drone to spray for mosquitoes in hard-to-reach places.

Ton urges anyone outside at dawn or dusk to wear insect repellant with DEET, remove objects with standing water from their yard, and report high mosquito levels in a specific area by calling 311 on a mobile device or 954-765-4062 from a landline. Also, use fans outdoors on high settings: Mosquitos are weak flyers and have trouble navigating in the wind.

“Several things are happening at the same time that are causing what we are seeing in Florida,” said Aarti Raja, a professor of biology at Nova Southeastern University in Davie. “There are changes in weather patterns, increases in deforestation, a warming in regions around the world leading to more mosquitoes, and an increase in travel after the pandemic, including to areas where these diseases are endemic.”

Raja said these mosquito-borne diseases cannot be transmitted through person-to-person contact, only through a bite. If someone is bitten abroad, and a Florida mosquito bites that person, the disease can spread locally.

Raja said it also is possible that disease-carrying mosquitos are coming into Florida through freight from other countries.

These are the mosquito-borne viruses seen in Florida this year and how to protect yourself from them:

RELATED ARTICLES

• ‘Sloth fever’ cases rising in South Florida, carried by travelers from Cuba
• More mosquito-borne dengue fever cases reported in South Florida
• New Hampshire resident dies after testing positive for mosquito-borne encephalitis virus

West Nile Virus

Already this year, at least seven people in Florida have been bitten by a mosquito carrying the same disease as the one that recently sent Dr. Anthony Fauci to the hospital for nearly a week. Fauci is the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and served as a lead member of the White House COVID-19 Response Team. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida’s seven cases are counted among the 289 human cases of West Nile reported in 33 states this year. The CDC reported that 142 patients had brain inflammation from the virus.

West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the country and tends to peak in August and September. Florida is a hotbed for the mosquitos that carry West Nile. There is no specific treatment or vaccine for West Nile. Use common repellents such as DEET and picaridin to protect yourself from these mosquitoes.

You will need to watch for West Nile symptoms if a mosquito has bitten you. These can appear three to 14 days later and include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, inflammation, and hives.

Just a few years ago, a Fort Lauderdale resident had a severe reaction to a mosquito-borne disease in which his central nervous system caused paralysis, taking away his ability to walk.

Oropouche

At least 30 travelers to Cuba have returned to Florida with Oropouche, 10 of them in the last week. Oropouche, also known as “sloth fever,” is spread to people by small flies known as midges and some mosquito species. If an infected person who traveled gets bitten again in Florida, the virus can spread locally.

Health officials and mosquito control staff are on high alert in South Florida, where the species that carries Oropouche, Culex quinquefasciatus, is prevalent. A new Florida Department of Health report as of Aug. 24 shows five cases reported in each of Broward, Duval and Hillsborough counties, 14 in Miami-Dade, and two in each of Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco, Polk, Lee and Sarasota counties. All were people who had traveled to Cuba.

“We are working with other state agencies and the health department to make sure we know when and where there’s a travel-related case, and treat around their residence and business to make sure the person bitten doesn’t spread it,” said Ton at Broward County Mosquito Control.

Not everyone who gets bitten will show symptoms. About 60% of people infected with the Oropouche virus become symptomatic, with a high fever, headache, muscle aches, stiff joints, nausea, vomiting, chills, or sensitivity to light. Severe cases can result in meningitis. Two deaths in previously healthy young persons with Oropouche virus infection were recently reported in Brazil.

Federal health officials urge anyone traveling to Latin America or Cuba to protect themselves by wearing insect repellent.

Chikungunya Fever

Five Floridians who traveled to Brazil this year have returned with Chikungunya Fever. Symptoms include the sudden onset of a high fever, severe joint pain in the hands and feet, joint swelling and muscle pain.

So far, all the cases are travel-related. Symptoms tend to appear about four to eight days after an infected mosquito bite. Most people recover fully.

RELATED ARTICLES

• ‘Sloth fever’ cases rising in South Florida, carried by travelers from Cuba
• More mosquito-borne dengue fever cases reported in South Florida
• New Hampshire resident dies after testing positive for mosquito-borne encephalitis virus

Dengue

The dengue virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, has been surging worldwide, and health officials want doctors to be on alert. In the last six months, countries in the Americas have already broken calendar-year records for dengue cases. The mosquito-borne disease has made its way to Florida, with 417 travel-associated cases reported this year and 39 just in the last week. The majority of those cases are in people who had traveled to Brazil.

Six cases of infected Floridians met the criteria for severe dengue shock syndrome or dengue hemorrhagic fever. People at greater risk for severe dengue include people with a previous dengue infection, pregnant women, infants, the elderly, and those with co-morbidities. However, health officials note that severe illness can also occur in people without any of these risk factors.

Particularly troubling is that dengue has been reported in Floridians who haven’t traveled. This year,  25 cases of locally acquired dengue have been reported in six Florida counties (Hillsborough, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Orange and Pasco). Some people don’t have any symptoms, while others get a high fever, severe headache, eye pain, muscle pain, nausea, or vomiting.

Experts advise using insect repellents containing 20% to 30% DEET or other ingredients to help keep away the mosquitos that carry dengue.  A dengue vaccine (Dengvaxia) is recommended only if you already have had dengue. It can reduce your risk of severe dengue if you get a different version of the virus in the future.

Malaria

Malaria can be a life-threatening disease spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Thirty-eight cases of the virus have been reported in Florida this year. However, the Florida Department of Health records show that all were acquired outside the U.S. The state has been on high alert for malaria since 2023, when seven cases were reported by people in the northern part of Sarasota County after being bitten in Florida rather than while traveling abroad. All seven patients were concentrated within a 4-mile radius,

People who have malaria usually have a high fever and shaking chills. About 600,000 people a year, 95% of them children under age 5, get infected.

To prevent a malaria infection, experts recommend applying mosquito repellent with DEET (diethyltoluamide) to exposed skin, and treating clothing with an insect repellent called permethrin. If you travel to areas with high levels of malaria, it’s also recommended to wear long pants and long sleeves to cover your skin.

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE)

This disease has not been reported in Florida, but it’s been in the news recently and is worth knowing about. The mosquito-borne virus has been reported this summer in the Northeast. On Tuesday, health authorities in New Hampshire reported a resident had died from eastern equine encephalitis virus. Health authorities cautioned anyone traveling to the Northeast and spending time outdoors to use bug repellent and cover up as much as possible.

The mosquito-borne virus is particularly concerning because about a third of people who develop encephalitis from the virus die from the infections, and survivors can suffer lifelong mental and physical disabilities. There is no vaccine or antiviral treatment available.

South Florida Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.

Originally Published: August 29, 2024 at 6:20 AM EDT