Their spraying in nearby cities very actively, and many cases of people getting this virus are appearing, I have seen mosquitoes much worse than now, and myself having been almost eaten alive by mosquitoes in the past, I never got this virus,why is this particular disease more active now with these insects?

Also Is West Nile Virus a problem in your area?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Nile_virus

Interesting, Rick. I'd heard of West Nile Virus - don't think it's reached the UK yet, but I see from that Wikipedia article, it has been found in parts of Europe such as Russia and Greece. We're certainly getting far more mozzies here in the UK than in previous years, though, so I guess it's only a matter of time!

Incidentally, I read recently that only non-whining mozzies (the female anopheles mozz, no less!) carry malaria, so if the mozzie that bites you is making that distinctive whirring noise, at least you won't get that!

Mandy

quietgirl wrote:
This location is within one hundred and fifty miles from me,here is a excerpt from the news........................

(CNN) -- A West Nile virus epidemic has prompted a public health emergency in Dallas County, Texas, where the disease has killed nine people, a judge declared Friday.

The virus there infected 175 people, said Patricia Huston of Dallas County Health and Human Services.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins declared the emergency in his capacity as director of the county's Homeland Security and Emergency Management and instructed the department to file a local disaster declaration with the state.

That sounds scary, Rick - hope you don't catch it!

One of my South African cousins has Q Fever, and has to be on mega-antibiotics for months and months - he has now developed a form of Chronic Fatigue (apparently not uncommon after Q Fever).

Mandy

I was getting eaten alive in Turkey recently until I took some antihistamine, which nulled the itching and seemed to prevent further bites somehow. Somebody there told me it's only the pregnant female that bites... don't know if that's true or not but it is only the female that bites and can transmit disease. There are various species of mozzy & most of them are harmless, but they all look very similar!
They were spraying the streets in Turkey as well; seemed pointless. we got this plug-in thing that emits a scent that the mozzy doesn't like - any that made it into the room went into hiding.
There was a program on telly a couple of weeks ago demonstrating how about 12% of people aren't affected by mozzy bites at all... they were using whatever it is that stops the allergic reaction in these people to help develop an antidote once and for all... hopefully.. but obviously that won't stop them transmitting disease - just stops you from itching!

150 miles is nothing.

They don't like the smell of citronella.

Look after yourself, Rick.

I read an African proverb earlier, it went:
"If you think you are too small to change anything, you haven't encountered a mosquito."

Yes 150 miles is close,and I go to that city every once in a while,but haven't lately.

I have been eaten alive by mosquitoes,bitten by fire ants on a particular occasion over eighty times, I counting the bites,and when this incident happened they recommended I go to the emergency room to make sure no reaction took place, which didn't for me thankfully,the reaction some people have to fire ant bites is your tongue swelling up and you can't breath.

Chiggers have got me before over thirty times at one time,ticks once in a while hang on, have some but ticks aren't really that bad here,snakes have got me four times but only one poisonous one out of the four,one wild dog attack ,various scratches from kitty cats which didn't have any reaction on me,and some bacteria skin thing's from something but I healed up well.

Also a water born illness from drinking at a hole in the wall gas station's water hose,that was a tough one,food poisoning episode three or four times,and various other related stomach bugs from cooked meats at times.

I picked up a tick once - it had attached itself to the back of my knee! My mum managed to remove it for me, though, luckily. Incidentally, when a few years later I developed CFS, I was tested for Lyme Disease but it came back negative, which was a relief!

Mandy

quietgirl wrote: