Originally published October 4 2005
West Nile mosquito found in the Midwest for the first time
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
At the Tyson Research Center in Eureka, MO, an undergraduate student discovered an invasive Asian mosquito species had reached farther west than has ever been documented; a newsworthy find because of the species' ability to carry the West Nile virus.
A species of mosquito common in the eastern U.S. and capable of carrying the West Nile virus has made its way to the Midwest for the first time, a finding made by a college undergraduate, Washington University officials said Monday.
Stephanie Gallitano, a Washington University junior chemistry major from Chicago, was studying the egg-laying habits of mosquitoes native to Missouri this summer at the Tyson Research Center in Eureka, Mo.
She took eggs to a lab and some developed into a type of insect she didn't recognize.
Gallitano and her mentor, postdoctoral fellow James Vonesh, took the larvae to Leon Blaustein at Rutgers University.
It turned out to be an invasive Asian mosquito known as Ochlerotatus japonicus, and marked the furthest west the species has been seen in the central United States, according to the Chevy Chase, Md.-based Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Jonathan Chase, associate professor of biology at Washington University, said the potential impact on humans is not yet known.
West Nile virus spreads when mosquitoes feed on infected birds.
The insects can then transmit the virus to humans.
Symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, skin rash and swollen lymph nodes.
Researchers say they will investigate the ecology of the Ochlerotatus japonicus and its interactions with other mosquitoes.
The Asian mosquito turned out to have a large population in pools at the Tyson center, outnumbered only by the common house mosquito.
Gallitano, Vonesh and Blaustein will report their findings in the December issue of Journal of Vector Ecology.
The disease got its name because it was first isolated in 1933 during an epidemic in St. Louis, but it is found throughout North America and South America.
Washington University officials said at least 10 mosquito species are known to carry the West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml