Be prepared for West Nile virus

P Even a cold winter won't stop mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus from animals to humans, but there are practical steps you can take to protect yourself.

With this week's warmer temperatures came the first buzzes of insects in the air.

But instead of an innocuous harbinger of spring, those sounds are warnings: Prepare for the return of mosquitoes and the West Nile virus they may carry. The experts have said it's not a matter of if, but when.

For those who need a refresher, West Nile is carried by mosquitoes from animals to humans. It's particularly lethal to birds and horses.

Many humans who become infected won't even realize it. They may have some minor symptoms they attribute to the flu. But in worst-case scenarios, the disease can act like meningitis and encephalitis, causing potentially fatal brain swelling.

There was one human case in Cape Girardeau County last year. The man, a Cape Girardeau resident, reported flu-like symptoms that became unbearable, including pounding headaches, soreness and restlessness. But he survived after an awful few weeks. Seven other victims in Missouri can't say the same. The disease killed them.

Some may think our harsh winter should have taken care of the problem by killing the mosquitoes, but the kind that carries West Nile, culex pipiens, become dormant in the winter, living off of their last blood meal. They will still be infected when they become active again in the warmer weather.

Granted, many thousands more people will be killed by influenza complications than by West Nile in a year's time, but West Nile is more obviously preventable.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chance of becoming ill from West Nile is decreased by protecting yourself from mosquito bites. The city of Cape Girardeau is doing its part by treating standing water with larvicide this year and will continue its higher level of spraying.

Here is what you can do, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Apply insect repellent containing DEET when outdoors.

When possible, wear long-sleeved clothes and long pants treated with repellents containing permethrin or DEET since mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing.

Consider staying indoors at dawn, dusk and in the early evening, which are peak mosquito biting times.

Limit the number of places available for mosquitoes to lay their eggs by eliminating standing water sources from around your home.

There are no guarantees that a mosquito won't slip through all of these measures, but by using good judgment and taking a few simple steps, this community can make it through the coming mosquito season without undue infection.