FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           Connecticut Department of Public Health

August 25, 2009                                      Contact: William Gerrish

                                                                (860) 509-7270

                                                                 Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

                                                                 Contact: Theodore Andreadis, Ph.D.

                                                                 (203) 974-8510 

Hartford – The State Mosquito Management Program today announced that mosquitoes trapped in Old Lyme on August 13, 2009 have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV).  These are the first positive mosquitoes identified in Old Lyme by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) this year.

The State also announced that mosquitoes trapped in Killingworth on August 17, 2009 have tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEE).  These are the first mosquitoes identified with EEE in Connecticut this season.

“Mosquito populations are high and we expect to continue to identify infected mosquitoes,” said Theodore G. Andreadis, Ph.D., Chief Medical Entomologist, CAES.  “Other states in our region are also reporting that they are finding increased numbers of mosquitoes with West Nile and eastern equine encephalitis viruses.”

In 2009, WNV-positive mosquitoes have been trapped in five towns including: Darien, Cromwell, Greenwich, Old Lyme and Stratford. Killingworth is the only town where EEE-positive mosquitoes have been trapped.  No Connecticut residents have been identified with WNV or EEE infections.

“The risk of mosquito-transmitted diseases like West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis virus usually increases through the late summer and early fall,” said Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner, J. Robert Galvin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A.  “I am urging Connecticut residents to take announcements seriously and to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites.”

The CAES maintains a network of 91 mosquito-trapping stations in 72 municipalities throughout the state to monitoring and assess the risk of mosquito-transmitted diseases.  Traps are set Monday – Thursday nights with trapping conducted at each site every ten days on a rotating basis.  Mosquitoes are grouped (pooled) for testing according to species, collection site, and date.  Each pool is tested for the presence of viruses of public health importance.  Positive findings are reported to local health departments, in press releases and on the CAES web site.

For information on West Nile virus and what you can do to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes, visit the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program Web site at www.ct.gov/mosquito.

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