FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              Connecticut Department of Public Health

September 5, 2008                                     Contact: William Gerrish

                                                                   (860) 509-7270

                                                                   Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

                                                                   Contact: Dr. Theodore Andreadis

                                                                   (203) 974-8510

Hartford – The State Mosquito Management Program today announced that a second resident of Stamford tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) infection.  Also announced were the first WNV-positive mosquitoes identified in Monroe by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) this year.

The Stamford resident is over 80 years of age, and became ill during the fourth week of August with encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain.  The person was hospitalized and is recovering. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples tested positive for WNV antibodies.

“Until cold weather ends the mosquito season, WNV infections will continue to be a concern,” said DPH Commissioner J. Robert Galvin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A.  “I am urging everyone to continue to follow recommendations to avoid mosquito bites.”

Five human cases of WNV infections have been identified including residents of Bridgeport, Greenwich, Sherman, and Stamford (2).  The Greenwich resident was infected in the early spring while travelling outside of Connecticut.  None of the infections have been fatal.

So far this summer, positive mosquitoes have been identified at 29 locations in 21 towns – Bridgeport, Darien, East Haven, Fairfield, Glastonbury, Greenwich, Hamden, Hartford, Milford, Monroe, New Canaan, New Haven, Norwalk, Shelton, Stamford, Stonington, Stratford, West Haven, Westport, Wethersfield, and Wilton. 

“We are finding high numbers of WNV-positive mosquitoes at our trap sites in southern Fairfield and New Haven Counties indicating a significant risk of human infections in these areas,” said Theodore G. Andreadis, Ph.D., Chief Medical Entomologist, CAES.  “We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updated information through October.”

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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