Our target is mosquito-borne diseases that have the potential to cause disease and death in humans. Two such diseases, both encephalitic viruses, have been identified. Indicators are the means by which we identify the presence of and assess the human health risk associated with any of the above diseases. Both EEE and WNV cause encephalitis, or brain fever, in humans.
Symptoms can include headaches, confusion, delirium and coma leading to death.
EEE is the more serious of the two diseases, but appears to be contracted by far fewer humans during an outbreak. While greater numbers of humans may contract WNV as a consequence of being bitten by infected mosquitoes, most will experience only mild flu-like symptoms or none at all. Both diseases disproportionately target those with impaired or undeveloped immune systems or the elderly. Strategies which minimize human health and environmental impacts are emphasized. For WNV this involves removal of old tires, cleaning gutters and other such housekeeping measures to eliminate habitat, and larviciding catch basins, roadside ditches, retention basins, and, where practical, natural breeding habitats, such as swampy areas.