This Blog was posted for you By Your San Antonio Pest Control Services – Jenkins Pest and Lawn

Keep Your Family Safe From Mosquito-Borne Illness

Keep your family safe from mosquito-borne illness and disease this season. It’s no laughing matter that an insect so small happens to be the deadliest animal on earth. More deaths are indeed associated with mosquitoes than any other animal on the planet. Mosquitoes carry several lethal diseases to humans as well as animals. Over two million people per year die from mosquito-borne illnesses, including deaths from diseases such as Malaria, Dengue, and Yellow Fever which are apparent in other regions of the world. Here in the United States, mosquitoes are the vectors for illnesses like West Nile Virus, EEE ( Eastern Equine Encephalitis), WEE ( Western Equine Encephalitis), St. Louis Encephalitis, La Crosse Encephalitis, and Heartworms. West Nile is usually traced in two phases, the first of which is when mosquitoes test positive for the disease, and then the second is when people begin to test positive for the disease. At this point, officials urge residents to take preventative measures to avoid infection. One important preventative is to take control of your property to keep mosquitoes at bay. More on this website @ https://mosquitoguardpro.com

What is West Nile Virus?

West Nile Virus is a virus that is found in birds. Mosquitoes become vectors of the disease by feeding off an infected bird, and in doing this, the mosquito itself then becomes infected. It can pass the disease to people and other animals. West Nile has also been reported to pass from human to human by breastfeeding from an infected mother, organ and blood donation from an infected donor, and trans-placental transmission from infected mother to child. Symptoms of West Nile Virus are usually apparent 3-14 days after infection and entail fever, headache, swelling of the lymph nodes, fatigue, and rash. In some cases, however, infected persons will show no symptoms. In severe cases, those infected with West Nile can develop severe neuroinvasive diseases such as West Nile Meningitis, West Nile Encephalitis, or West Nile Poliomyelitis. Symptoms that a neuroinvasive disease may present include a high fever, stiffness in the neck, lethargy and weakness, severe headaches, paralysis, disorientation or change in mental status, gastrointestinal problems, seizures, and even coma. More on this website @ https://jenkinspest.com

A close-up of the deadliest predator on earth now.

No vaccine is available for human use to prevent West Nile Virus. Treatment varies according to symptoms. Since bacteria do not cause the virus, it does not respond to antibiotics. Researchers are looking into an anti-viral drug called Ribavirin, currently used to treat Hepatitis C, to see if it may help treat West Nile Virus. Most mild cases of West Nile Virus have an excellent prognosis, so early detection of the virus and prevention of mosquitoes is key to keeping this illness at bay. Our Pest Control company wants to protect you and your family from mosquitoes and illness.

What do all these Encephalitides mean?

Mosquitoes transmit several Encephalitides, including WEE ( Western Equine Encephalitis), EEE ( Eastern Equine Encephalitis), St. Louis Encephalitis, and La Crosse Encephalitis. All Encephalitides function in primarily the same manner. The standard textbook definition for Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain. These Encephalitides begin their cycle from mosquito to human, or animal, from the vector mosquito initially feeding off of a bird infected with the Encephalitis, with La Crosse Encephalitis being the only exception. With La Crosse Encephalitis, the mosquito feeds from a woodland creature, such as a chipmunk or squirrel, which is infected instead of a bird. These Encephalitides affect the central nervous system of those infected. WEE and EEE are rarely diagnosed in humans. Symptoms of these mosquito-borne Encephalitides are similar, including headache, fever, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, and neck stiffness. More advanced symptoms can include seizures, tremors and disorientation, paralysis, and coma. There is no vaccine to treat these diseases in humans, so avoiding being bitten by mosquitoes and reducing their numbers and breeding sites within your environment is crucial to avoiding any mosquito-borne illness or disease.

Taking control of your property is the most important way to prevent falling victim to a mosquito-borne illness such as this. Exercising common sense, gaining knowledge, and taking control of your own backyard can greatly reduce your risk of being bitten by an infected mosquito. We recommend keeping areas of standing water off your property, including children’s toys, pots, or any small container tipped over or thrown away. Frequent changes of water in bird baths or fountains keep them from becoming a “nursery” for new mosquitoes. Make sure your gutters are free of debris or trash. Keep debris and clippings out of your yard, and keep the grass mowed, bushes, and gardens neat and tidy. Frequent checks of screened areas within your living areas to ensure there are no tears or holes where mosquitoes could wander in. Treating your property by a licensed professional is of the utmost importance to get complete mosquito control over your property.We spray barrier spray in a homeowner’s yard.

Remember, once you or someone in your family has a mosquito-borne illness, you cannot rewind it and take it back. We can treat your property to prevent the unfortunate. Our barrier spray is a safe and effective way to kill mosquitoes and prevent mosquitoes from entering your property. We even offer a mosquito misting system which is highly effective at controlling mosquitoes and ticks. Our barrier sprays are sprayed at scheduled intervals throughout the season for your safety and convenience. These barrier sprays give you season-long, worry-free mosquito control. Our safe and effective barrier spray also kills ticks on your property. Did you know that Missouri and Tennessee are the two states that have the highest incidence rate of the tick-borne illness Ehrlichiosis? To learn more about Missouri and Ehrlichiosis, visit to read this informative article about Ehrlichiosis. Contact us to learn more about keeping your property mosquito and tick-free this season. Mosquito and tick-borne illnesses are nothing to take lightly; prevention is key to ensuring you and your family stay safe and healthy this season.