A mosquito-borne virus that can cause serious symptoms in people has been found in mosquitoes in New Hampshire during the first summer the state has tested for the virus.People have tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus in New Hampshire before, but this is the first summer that New Hampshire is testing mosquitoes for the virus as part of its routine surveillance.The testing is part of a pilot project the state is launching in collaboration with Cornell University and other organizations aimed at taking a closer look at how prevalent the virus is in disease-carrying species throughout central New Hampshire. Even though the virus has been discovered in a mosquito batch in Bow, it has not been identified in humans so far this year. Entomologist Sarah MacGregor, of Dragon Mosquito Control, said the discovery makes sense.”We’ve been seeing Jamestown Canyon virus each year in humans, so we know that it’s in mosquitoes,” MacGregor said. “We just haven’t had the opportunity to find those mosquitoes and have them tested, so I’m not surprised.”The state has identified 14 cases of the virus since the first report of the disease in New Hampshire in 2013. Nationally, there are about 15 cases every year.Many people infected do not have symptoms. Others get fever, fatigue and headache, or respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat or a runny nose. It can also cause severe disease, including encephalitis or meningitis.About half of patients reported with the disease are hospitalized, but death is rare.Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Elizabeth Talbot said the state had not previously tracked the virus like how they pay attention to West Nile Virus and EEE.”We are grateful to be able to better track so we have a better sense of where they are and what kind of diseases they cause in our population,” Talbot said.
MANCHESTER, N.H. —
A mosquito-borne virus that can cause serious symptoms in people has been found in mosquitoes in New Hampshire during the first summer the state has tested for the virus.
People have tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus in New Hampshire before, but this is the first summer that New Hampshire is testing mosquitoes for the virus as part of its routine surveillance.
The testing is part of a pilot project the state is launching in collaboration with Cornell University and other organizations aimed at taking a closer look at how prevalent the virus is in disease-carrying species throughout central New Hampshire.
Even though the virus has been discovered in a mosquito batch in Bow, it has not been identified in humans so far this year. Entomologist Sarah MacGregor, of Dragon Mosquito Control, said the discovery makes sense.
“We’ve been seeing Jamestown Canyon virus each year in humans, so we know that it’s in mosquitoes,” MacGregor said. “We just haven’t had the opportunity to find those mosquitoes and have them tested, so I’m not surprised.”
The state has identified 14 cases of the virus since the first report of the disease in New Hampshire in 2013. Nationally, there are about 15 cases every year.
Many people infected do not have symptoms. Others get fever, fatigue and headache, or respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat or a runny nose. It can also cause severe disease, including encephalitis or meningitis.
About half of patients reported with the disease are hospitalized, but death is rare.
Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Elizabeth Talbot said the state had not previously tracked the virus like how they pay attention to West Nile Virus and EEE.
“We are grateful to be able to better track so we have a better sense of where they are and what kind of diseases they cause in our population,” Talbot said.