PASCO COUNTY – The Pasco County Mosquito Control District is urging residents to take precautions against mosquito bites following an increase in dengue fever cases across the region.
The most recent Florida Department of Health arbovirus surveillance data show locally acquired dengue transmission occurring in multiple Tampa Bay-area counties. The latest information available identifies 30 confirmed locally acquired dengue cases in Hillsborough County, three in Pinellas County and one in Citrus County. There are additional suspected cases still under investigation.
The Pasco County Mosquito Control District is also aware of a dengue case involving someone who lives in Pasco County. At this time, the location where that individual acquired the infection is still under epidemiological investigation to determine exposure.
“Dengue transmission is a regional public health concern, and we cannot look at this solely on a county-by-county basis,” said Adriane Rogers, executive director of the Pasco County Mosquito Control District. “Thousands of people live in one county and work, attend school, shop, recreate or visit family in another. Residents of Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties are highly interconnected. That means mosquito-borne disease activity in one community can have implications for the entire region.”
Dengue is caused by a virus transmitted primarily through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. These mosquitoes are well adapted to living around people and lay eggs in very small amounts of standing water commonly found around homes and businesses.
Hillsborough County Mosquito Management Services has also identified dengue-positive Aedes aegypti mosquito pools in Hillsborough County, demonstrating that infected mosquitoes are involved in transmission in the region.
The Pasco County Mosquito Control District is encouraging residents throughout Pasco County and neighboring communities to take the following precautions:
- Dump and drain standing water around homes and businesses at least weekly. This includes flowerpots, buckets, toys, birdbaths, pool covers, gutters and other containers that can hold water.
- Wear repellent containing a U.S. EPA-registered active ingredient such as DEET, picaridi and IR3535.
- Wear long sleeves, long pants and shoes with socks while outside during daytime and at night, when practical.
- Keep doors and windows closed or properly screened to prevent mosquitoes from entering homes.
- Check yards and properties regularly for small containers or other items capable of holding water.
- Report mosquito problems to the appropriate local mosquito control agency.
Dengue symptoms can include fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, bone pain, nausea, vomiting and rash. Symptoms typically develop within several days after an infected mosquito bite.
Anyone experiencing symptoms should contact a health care provider and inform them of their potential exposure to dengue.
Dengue is not spread directly from person to person through casual contact. It is primarily transmitted when an infected mosquito bites a person and subsequently bites another person.
The Pasco County Mosquito Control District routinely conducts mosquito surveillance and control operations throughout its 765-square-mile service area and is closely monitoring the dengue situation across the region.
The district is coordinating its response with public health partners and evaluating mosquito surveillance data, disease activity and operational needs as additional information becomes available.
“This is the time for vigilance, not panic,” Rogers said. “Dengue is a serious mosquito-borne disease, but there are meaningful steps every resident can take to reduce their risk. Our team will continue monitoring mosquito populations and responding to areas of concern with increased control applications, but mosquito control works best when residents, travelers, businesses, healthcare providers and public health agencies all work together.”
On the web: pascomosquito.org
