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Conversation with Dr. Mayer of the
Suffolk County Health Department on 4/19/00
Q. What is the Suffolk County Health
Department doing to protect our residents from West-Nile Virus?
Dr. Mayer: We have a vigilant monitoring
system in place that is being coordinated by Suffolk County Vector
Control. Vector Control has several collection points sampling and
testing mosquitoes throughout the county. We even use sentinel chicken
to monitor the virus.
Q. What is your risk assessment for Fire
Island?
Dr. Mayer: The majority of mosquito present
on Fire Island are of the Aedes Sollicitans (Saltwater Mosquito). The
Culex var. is the most likely mosquito transmitting the virus.
Therefore we think the risk on Fire Island is less than on the main
land.
Q. What can our communities do to help
prevent or reduce the likelihood of the spreading of the virus?
Dr. Mayer: Be sure all homeowner reduce
possible breeding grounds for the Culex var. mosquito. That
includes all elimination of standing water around the home such as water
in cans, children's toys, bottles, garbage pails, gutters or water
underneath houses. Culex var. is the main vector for West Nile.
Q. Do you coordinate with Fire Island
National Seashore?
Dr. Mayer: FINS is federal and completely
separate from the County level.
Q. What are Fire Island residents do
should they find dead birds and/or crows?
Dr. Mayer: Call us at 853-3055 if you have a
fresh death bird, that is death occurred within 24 hours. Vector Control
will then decide whether that bird should be picked up and sent for
testing to Wadsworth, Albany.
Q. What is your preferred means of
mosquito control?
Dr. Mayer: Adulticiding, that means the
spaying for adult mosquito is our choice of last resort. Prevention as
outlined earlier is the preferred means supported by larviciding, which
is the treatment of the larval stages.
Q. Your are possibly aware that the Fair
Harbor community is on record against indiscriminate spraying with
adulticides.
Dr. Mayer: We are aware of it, but in the
case of an established General Health Risk with positive identification
of the virus, we would be required to use Adulticiding, such as local or
aerial spraying.
Thank you.
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| Department of Health Services |
| To report a dead or sick bird, or a stagnant pool of water: Environmental Protection 853-3074 |
| For medical questions: Public Health 853-3055 |
| To arrange for a speaker: Public Health 853-3049 |
| Department of Public Works |
| To report mosquito problems: Vector Control 852-4270 |
| For
additional information check the New York State website at
www.health.state.ny.us or
the Centers for Disease Control at
www.cdc.gov (look under
Arboviral Encephalitides)
Where can I get more information on pesticides
used to control mosquito populations?
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