Year’s first positive West Nile virus confirmed in mosquito sample in Dauphin Co., Pa.

The first West Nile virus-infected mosquito sample of the year was recently identified by the Dauphin County Conservation District in Washington Township, Pa., but no human cases have been reported.

The vector-borne West Nile virus can infect humans with an infection known as West Nile encephalitis, which causes inflammation of the brain. Mike Pries, a member of the Dauphin County Board, warned that mosquitoes replicate faster in humid temperatures, and older adults and those with compromised immune systems are most prone to illness.

Residents in affected areas are encouraged to eliminate standing water that can host mosquito larvae, to wear long pants and shirts, to use insect repellent, and to limit outdoor activities during dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.

“The county’s WNV Control Program is increasing surveillance and control measures to reduce the mosquito population and prevent the virus from spreading,” said Dauphin County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jeff Haste, who oversees the Conservation District.