West Nile

[UNTstormchaser]

Alright fellas, serious question. I'm flying back to the DFW area from Rhode Island this Tuesday. I've heard from my aunt and uncle that live in Flower Mound that the whole North Texas area is just loaded with mosquitoes right now, and that West Nile Virus has been fairly common and been a big enough issue that they're spraying stuff to kill off the mosquitoes. How bad is it right now, is there any precedent for situations like this in the area (they are new to the area as well, so they don't know), what are people saying about when the threat will die down a bit, etc? I'm not really overly concerned myself, since an investment in some good bug spray should help the issue a bit, but it's still a slight worry, and my parents are a little concerned about it as well, since they're coming for a week. So, what's the deal people? I figured you locals will have some good advice and information on it.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Alright fellas, serious question. I'm flying back to the DFW area from Rhode Island this Tuesday. I've heard from my aunt and uncle that live in Flower Mound that the whole North Texas area is just loaded with mosquitoes right now, and that West Nile Virus has been fairly common and been a big enough issue that they're spraying stuff to kill off the mosquitoes. How bad is it right now, is there any precedent for situations like this in the area (they are new to the area as well, so they don't know), what are people saying about when the threat will die down a bit, etc? I'm not really overly concerned myself, since an investment in some good bug spray should help the issue a bit, but it's still a slight worry, and my parents are a little concerned about it as well, since they're coming for a week. So, what's the deal people? I figured you locals will have some good advice and information on it.

There have been a handful of deaths around the DFW area, and several more infected, but if you spray with bug spray whenever you are going to be outside for a long time, you should be alright.

Plus, you're a college-aged student with the campus health center at your fingertips, not an extremely old person with no money for a dr/er visit, so I really wouldn't worry at all.

[Censored by Laurie]

There have been a handful of deaths around the DFW area, and several more infected, but if you spray with bug spray whenever you are going to be outside for a long time, you should be alright.

Plus, you're a college-aged student with the campus health center at your fingertips, not an extremely old person with no money for a dr/er visit, so I really wouldn't worry at all.

Mosquitos = death panels.

Very clever, Obama.

[Green P1]

No reason to worry. We're finally fixin to Agent Orange the hell outta the DFW and kill all them buggers off!!! Bees too!!!!

[MeanGreenTexan]

Mosquitos = death panels.

Very clever, Obama.

Leave it to special interests in George Bush's hometown to step over their limits to poison innocent people in the name of making a dollar.

[UNTstormchaser]

There have been a handful of deaths around the DFW area, and several more infected, but if you spray with bug spray whenever you are going to be outside for a long time, you should be alright.

Plus, you're a college-aged student with the campus health center at your fingertips, not an extremely old person with no money for a dr/er visit, so I really wouldn't worry at all.

No reason to worry. We're finally fixin to Agent Orange the hell outta the DFW and kill all them buggers off!!! Bees too!!!!

Cool, thanks guys. I'm not really worried about dying a painful and torturous WNV death or anything, but I'd like to avoid the complications of having to get treatment for something like that. I've had my share of medical BS recently (surgery in April 2011 that just healed fully 2 weeks ago, torn ankle ligaments, diabetes scare, to name a few lol), so I'm trying to stay legitimately healthy for a nice long stretch of time for the first time in a while haha.

As necessary as bees are, I hate the things, so if they croak along with the skeeters, I am a happy man.

[adman]

Hey StormChaser - Don't believe the hype.

80% of people who contact West Nile will never suffer a symptom.

20% (roughly) will suffer West Nile fever. (I had this. My fever wasn't as severe as many but the 3 days of severe joint pain wasn't a ton of fun. Still I'd take what West Nile had to offer over severe food poisoning or a bad case of the flu any day.)

Less than 1% will develop meningitis/encephalitis which can kill you.

One thing the media is failing to mention in the fear frenzy they are trying to whip up is that once you get West Nile, regardless of symptoms/no symptoms, you'll never get it again.

Luckily for me I can ditch the deet and go and do what I want. Provided of course it is not during the Mayor's scheduled chemical warfare on the citizens of Dallas. But his abuse of power is a whole different thread.

[UNTstormchaser]

Hey StormChaser - Don't believe the hype.

80% of people who contact West Nile will never suffer a symptom.

20% (roughly) will suffer West Nile fever. (I had this. My fever wasn't as severe as many but the 3 days of severe joint pain wasn't a ton of fun. Still I'd take what West Nile had to offer over severe food poisoning or a bad case of the flu any day.)

Less than 1% will develop meningitis/encephalitis which can kill you.

One thing the media is failing to mention in the fear frenzy they are trying to whip up is that once you get West Nile, regardless of symptoms/no symptoms, you'll never get it again.

Luckily for me I can ditch the deet and go and do what I want. Provided of course it is not during the Mayor's scheduled chemical warfare on the citizens of Dallas. But his abuse of power is a whole different thread.

Thanks for the info man. This is why I ask questions, you learn things.

[UNT90]

Leave it to special interests in George Bush's hometown to step over their limits to poison innocent people in the name of making a dollar.

So, something else is Bush's fault? And, I believe his home town is Midland, so they are spraying there, also?

Personally, I think this is a huge Stormchaser conspiracy to thin the heard (while he sits in Yankeeville. F'n Yanks...)

[KRAM1]

As are the majority of these things...remember the recent bird flu scare....much ado about a little...and one can easily avoid the vast majority of areas and times of the day when these little buggers can get after you...some easily taken care of precautions and good to go. Yes, it can be a problem and I am in no way trying to make light of the danger, but as is the case most of the time, lots of folks like to make things much much bigger deals than they are...note Adman's very sane and factual post!

[Censored by Laurie]

(while he sits in Yankeeville. F'n Yanks...)

Don't you lump him in with me, hick.

[KRAM1]

Don't you lump him in with me, hick.

We can and will lump all Yankees into the same West Nile mosquito infested muck pool...thank you very much Mr. Connecticut, Sir!!!!! It's where all Yankees belong!

But, I can forgive you both as you have seen the light for at least a bit and matriculated at UNT! So, you can come out of the mosquito pool...but watch yourself. You can go right back in....just sayin....

[UNT90]

Don't you lump him in with me, hick.

No worries.

Everyone knows hippies are a peaceful lot who don't believe in genocide.

At least I think that's right...

[MeanGreenTexan]

So, something else is Bush's fault? And, I believe his home town is Midland, so they are spraying there, also?

Personally, I think this is a huge Stormchaser conspiracy to thin the heard (while he sits in Yankeeville. F'n Yanks...)

They're spraying everywhere man!! The "duet" is laced with microscopic microphones that will record our every conversation.

[Censored by Laurie]

Everyone knows hippies are a peaceful lot who don't believe in genocide.

There's a 9, 9 1/2 month window where its actually encouraged

[Green Mean]

From what I have heard you'll be more susceptible to that if you're in or near a creek or small body of water area and even then it's not that likely you get it. You'll be fine.

[UNT90]

There's a 9, 9 1/2 month window where its actually encouraged

Ya, but those planes over Dallas don't have that good of aim.

Hell, for that matter, the hippies are more likely to try to start their genocide process in the wrong receptacle.

Edited August 18, 2012 by UNT90

[UNTstormchaser]

Well this turned into a strange conversation pretty quickly. Thanks for the info everyone, I'm not really concerned about it, more just curious. When something outside of the local area makes the local news, it kind of gets your attention haha. And considering I heard the DFW area and Denton were among the worst, I figured it was worth an ask (;

On a side note, don't you crazy southerners mock my Yankee heritage! I actually hate that term, not because I am offended by what people mean by it, but because I am offended to be associated with the New York Yankees in any way, shape, or form. You may as well be calling me...wait, actually there is nothing worse than being associated with the New York Yankees. I legitimately have nothing to compare it to. Anyways, long live the north!

[Grant.UNT]

Just spray Off with deet on your legs and arms. No big deal.

It doesn't hurt to carry citronella candles everywhere you go too. Just fill your pockets with rags soaked in citronella. You could also carry citronella tiki torches. just saying...

[Green P1]

From what I have heard you'll be more susceptible to that if you're in or near a creek or small body of water area and even then it's not that likely you get it. You'll be fine.

That's exactly what Joey just told Dawson...

Edited August 20, 2012 by Green P1

[Monkeypox]

Just wait til people start getting that East Nile Virus. It makes West Nile look like South Thames. Hope you've stocked up on nipple plugs.

[UNT90]

[ADLER]

From what I have heard you'll be more susceptible to that if you're in or near a creek or small body of water area and even then it's not that likely you get it. You'll be fine.

Contrary to the blatant stupidity broadcast daily in the news, mosquitoes very seldom grow in places where there are fish, especially the guppy 'minnows', which are descendants from fish imported from Central America a century ago for this very reason. These guppies efficiently eradicate any mosquito larva population to which they have access.

Mosquito larva grow in small places where water accumulates and fish cannot reach; discarded cups and other trash, housing roof gutters, puddles in drain pipes etc, and even in untended pools. Yet, every night the news continues to show pictures of flowing streams and duck ponds as 'prime breeding grounds' to target for poisoning. Kill the guppies in those waters and then you really will have a serious mosquito problem.