By Staff
Aug. 26, 2001
With the news that a 2-year-old child in Neshoba County appears to be infected with LaCrosse (LAC) encephalitis, East Mississippi residents would do well to heed the warnings of health officials about the dangers of mosquitoes.
They can be much more than summer pests. Appropriate precautions should be taken for anyone in our area working or playing in the outdoors, or just relaxing inside.
The Neshoba County case is the fifth confirmed case of the disease reported in Mississippi this year. Four other encephalitis cases have been identified in the Franklin, George, Noxubee, and Marion counties, said Mississippi State Department of Health State Epidemiologist Mary Currier.
The virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Encephalitis can cause fever, headache, nausea, vomiting or drowsiness.
Currier said most cases of encephalitis occur in children less than 16 years of age. Illness in young children can lead to seizures, coma, and paralysis. There is no effective treatment for LAC encephalitis. Prevention is the only measure for anyone to take.
Many good products are on the market to keep mosquitoes at bay. This is a time to use them.