Mosquitoes & Hurricanes
There are two biological attributes related to mosquito egg-laying that contribute to the numbers of mosquitoes seen and felt during a post-hurricane period. The two groups are floodwater mosquitoes and standing-water mosquitoes.
Flood Water Mosquitoes
Many people associate mosquitoes strictly with standing water, with the belief that mosquitoes have to have water to lay their eggs. The fact is, mosquito eggs need water to HATCH — but some species lay their eggs in moist soil (not standing water) and actually the eggs need to dry out before they can hatch. These mosquitoes are the "floodwater" species.
Standing Water Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes that are not in the "floodwater" group lay their eggs on standing water. Another difference between the two groups is that mosquito eggs in this category cannot withstand drying out. If the water dries up, or the egg gets stranded on the grass or soil, the egg dries and that will be the end; it will not hatch into a larva.
The Double Whammy
The combination of the egg laying habits of these two groups of mosquitoes provides for a double whammy. When dry areas flood, the floodwater mosquito eggs hatch. When the floodwater has nowhere to go, the standing-water mosquitoes have more places to lay their eggs.
Excerpted from the University of Florida Web Site - http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in535
 West Nile virus — back on the radar
As of September 16, 2008, 712 human cases have been reported nationwide this year.
A new study featured in the August 19, 2008, issue of Annals of Internal Medicine reported that patients suffering West Nile infection may need a year to recover. The study, which was conducted by researchers connected with McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, showed patients restored their physical and mental function to normal within one year of symptom onset. http://foodconsumer.org
San Diego County (CA) health officials reported two more human cases of West Nile virus this week, for a total of 13 so far this year.
http://www.northcountytimes.com
Twelve new cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed in El Paso (TX) this week by El Paso Department of Health officials, bringing the total number of cases for this year to 15.
http://www.kvia.com
Helpful Resources
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile features up-to-date maps of West Nile virus activity for the United States, including state maps with county-level data.
Another online source of in-depth information on West Nile virus is the Cornell University Environmental Risk Analysis Program at http://environmentalrisk.cornell.edu/WNV/.
Up-to-date news articles about West Nile virus can be viewed at http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=health&cat=west_nile_virus.
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