Vermont authorities have stepped up testing in targeted areas of the state in an effort to hinder the spread of deadly mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile viruses. The Whiting-Brandon area is a particular concern because EEE was detected in mosquitoes there last year and found its way to human victims. Early testing results announced this week came back negative for the viruses, according to a
report by Lucia Suarez of the Rutland Herald.
When announcing the test results, state epidemiologist Erica Berl said, "The Brandon-Whiting swamp areas are moderate risk based on the evidence from last year." Risk levels have been assigned to regions of the state and testing resources will be allocated based upon the perceived risk. Most of Vermont falls into a baseline risk level, in which no reports of mosquito-borne illness in humans or animals have been received. Low-risk areas include those where virus-carrying mosquitoes have been detected within the past two years but no illnesses in humans or animals have been reported.
Current state plans call for consideration of insecticide spraying whenever repeated tests show mosquito-borne viruses in a region or the viruses turn up in humans or animals. "There is not a lot of information," Berl admitted. "We can't spray until we have a good educated guess that it will do something."
Last year, two people - residents of Brandon and Sudbury - died after becoming infected with the EEE virus. After the human infections were reported, the state organized
aerial spraying of regions of the Whiting swamp.
Information on mosquito-borne illnesses can be obtained through the
Vermont Department of Health website.
