West Nile Virus: A Monologue Analysis

I found myself once again facing defeat, seeking refuge behind the protection of my glass patio door. Summer evenings generally started out pleasantly on my porch, glistened with a beautiful sunset, followed by declining temperatures which provided respite from the heat. Disaster would invariably strike, however, with the inevitable onslaught of mosquitoes. The mosquitoes were unimpressed by my insistence on remaining environmentally conscious and disavowing products containing DEET. Pinpricks of swelling bumps peppered the lengths of my arms and legs, leaving me itchy, irritated, and defeated. Nevertheless, I was undaunted, and armed with science, I steeled myself for devastating counterattacks.

The incidence is highest in late summer and early autumn, until the first hard frost does away with the mosquito population for that year. Birds and other animals (such as horses) are the usual reservoir for the infection, and they are involved in its dissemination. Initial viral symptoms may give way to high fever and neck stiffness (meningeal signs). However, as with most forms of encephalitis, it is the confusion and depressed levels of consciousness (stupor) that mark the infection as being of the brain (encephalitis) and not just the meninges. West Nile Virus is an acute central nervous disease (McCance & Huether, 2014).

The one thing that could keep me inside on a nice summer’s day is the threat of mosquitoes. Where they bite me, I swell up and itch for days afterwards. It’s a hard choice between slathering myself in nasty smelling insect repellant or staying inside. Sometimes even with the insect repellant I still get bit. To add insult to injury, they sometimes get in the house and attack me. They seem to be an annoyance I can’t escape. I’m lucky that the mosquitoes that bite me don’t carry dangerous diseases like the ones in other counties. Daniel Engber who wrote the article “Let’s Kill All the Mosquitoes” has the solution to our problem. He makes a great argument to kill the dangerous mosquitoes and it’s very well supported with credible sources.

No one would have ever thought that a little bitty bug, with a painless bite could cause so much harm. This deadly virus was going around for awhile until it suddenly disappeared for about 20 years, causing everyone to make false assumptions that it was gone forever. Mosquitoes, the pesky bugs, will sooner, rather then later, become a threat once again.

Mosquitos is a problem faced by the world it appears many times in the novel Tangerine by Edward Bloor,” “(Bloor)When Paul's mother Caroline complains to the HOA that the muck fire in the yard is going out of hand and should be dealt with asap. The HOA decides to try different ways to get rid of it each attempt worse than the last from putting it out with a fire extinguisher to flooding the fire with water. When the hoa decides to flood the Fisher’s backyard muck fire they didn’t take in account that they not only failed to resolve the conflict of the fire but added another job to their list. The HOA unintentionally invited the dreaded mosquitos to Lake Windsor Downs when they flooded the fire. The mosquitoes are blood thirsty creatures they will bite anyone and anything to get their food, blood.

What's really important is to use bug spray, they get really annoying. I got at least like 50 bug bites, it was very, very, annoying. 150 more to go.

The Symptoms of West Nile virus: West Nile virus, which is transmitted by infected mosquitoes, can produce flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, body aches, and skin rash (MedicineNet.com, 2015). While most infected individuals have mild disease and recover spontaneously, infection can be serious or even fatal. There is no specific treatment for West Nile virus (MEdicineNet.com, 2015). The Symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever: Initial symptoms may include fever, nausea, vomiting, severe headache, muscle pain, and lack of appetite. The characteristic red, spotted rash of Rocky Mountain spotted fever is usually not seen until the sixth day or later after symptoms begin. As many as 10% to 15 % of patients may never develop a rash (Traveldoctor.com, 2015). Rocky Mountain spotted fever is treated with antibiotics. Signs of infection: It is normal for a bite or sting to result in redness of the affected area and minor swelling, but if a bite or sting becomes infected, a fever may develop or the redness or soreness may worsen. In cases of infection, an antibiotic is the typical treatment (Traveldoctor.com,

The new mosquitos contain a gene that produces high levels of a protein that stops their cells from functioning normally, ultimately killing them.” And “While similar releases in Florida are years away, some locals have already reacted forcefully. One activist gathered 100,000 signatures on a petition to oppose using the mosquitoes in eradication efforts.” But their concerns are ““What if these mosquitoes bite my boys or my dogs? What will they do to the ecosystem?”

Department of Health. (2009, April). Information Sheet: Malathion and Mosquito Control. Retrieved July 11, 2011, from New York State department of health: http://www.health.state.ny.us/publications/2740/

Try to stay indoors from early evening to morning. Mosquitoes are very active during this time and the chances of getting bitten are greater.

Dr. Mercola(May 25, 2015) This Natural Bug Repellant Works Better Than Deet . Retrieve from: http://articles.mercola.com/

Be aware of mosquitoes there are many diseases related to them running amuck right now make sure you are set with adequate protection and repellent. When in infested areas the recommendation is long sleeves and repellent with DEET.

DNREC needs our help to control the mosquito problem we have. “One of the greatest resources that the Mosquito Control Section has to combat mosquitoes is YOU,” just one container of holding water on your property can produce thousands of mosquitoes that can severely reduce the quality of life for you and your neighborhood. Remember, in addition to the discomfort of biting, mosquitoes also are proven vectors of disease. The Mosquito Control Section looks forward to partnering with you to protect the safety and quality of life for residents and visitors to

West Nile Virus is a disease most people have probably heard about. It is a reasonably common disease. The statistics for 2015 prove this; "Overall, 2,060 cases of West Nile virus disease in people have been reported to CDC. Of these, 1,360 (66%) were classified as neuroinvasive disease (such as meningitis or encephalitis) and 700 (34%) were classified as non-neuroinvasive disease". ("Statistics & Maps." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 09 June 2015. Web. 06 Mar. 2016.) West Nile Virus, or WNV, was first identified in 1937, when a Uganda woman had it. It came to the United States in 1999 in the New York City area.

West Nile Encephalitis has infected more than 25,000 horses since its 1999 entrance into the United States. This relatively new infectious disease is the most widely distributed arbovirus, causing infections across the continent from Africa, to Australia, Southern Europe, and North America. Cases have even been reported in Mexico and Canada. This paper will focus on the main symptoms, treatments, vaccination types, and prevention.