West Nile Virus /spray/ABC article

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Useless Spraying?

West Nile Deterrent May Not Be Best Solution

By

Aug. 8 — If you live in one of the 34 states where West Nile virus

has been discovered, should you draw comfort from the clouds of

pesticides being sprayed into the air to kill off mosquitoes?

Maybe not.

" The chemicals have not been adequately tested for their human health

effects, " cautioned Dr. Sheldon Krimsky, a pesticide-risk expert at

Tufts University. " There is a lot of circumstantial evidence that

they cause cancer in animal studies, that they are hormone

disruptors. Remember, these are neurotoxins, " Krimsy said, adding

that most studies done on the effects of spraying focused on

agricultural spraying — not spraying in populated areas.

" We simply don't know what effects it's going to have, the

indiscriminate spraying on human populations, " he added.

So far this year, officials have reported 112 human cases of West

Nile, more than half in the past week, according to the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most of these infections are in

Louisiana. Mississippi and Illinois also have reported human

infections of the virus, which began showing up in the United States

in New York three years ago.

Residents Protest Dangerous Pesticides

In Hays County, Texas, residents effectively stopped spraying in many

of their neighborhoods. They protested, carrying posters decrying

the " chemical warfare " on their families. County commissioners agreed

to severely limit mosquito spraying near those homes.

In Jefferson County, Ala., health officials are trying to decide what

to do. Many cities, including Birmingham, have been spraying for

weeks. County officials, though, haven't started their own spraying

efforts because they aren't convinced spraying is all that effective

against mosquitoes.

But after a case of West Nile infection was recently discovered in

Alabama, some residents began demanding that the county spray.

Debrow, the environmental health program manager at the

Jefferson County Health Department, says the county may start

spraying in order to ease anxiety. " The public likes seeing the

trucks going down the road and spraying for mosquitoes, " he said. " It

gives them a sense of security they feel like something is being

done. "

CDC: Least Effective Deterrent

Scientists at the CDC, which is leading the surveillance effort on

West Nile virus, do not take a position on whether local health

departments should spray for mosquitoes. But they do point out that

spraying is the least effective method of slowing the spread of the

insects.

Since adult mosquitoes only live for about two weeks at the most —

whether they're sprayed or not — the most effective way to limit

mosquitoes is to keep them from breeding. And that means emptying out

pools of water where they lay their eggs.

" These would include things like old tires, cans, flower pots and so

forth, just do an inspection and see what's out there that might

serve as a breeding ground for the mosquitoes, " points out Dr.

Gerberding, the director of the CDC.

And that's exactly what Washington, D.C. health officials are doing.

They've decided that spraying pesticides into the air is too risky,

especially since the incidence of asthma in the city is already high.

Instead, they are targeting small amounts of pesticides directly into

pools of standing water and ditches where mosquitoes are breeding.

And they're going door-to-door with pamphlets that explain to

residents how best to avoid mosquitoes altogether.

Even so, in the states where West Nile virus has been discovered,

there is pressure on health officials to appear to be fighting the

virus on every front and many feel the most convincing approach is

the most visible one — spraying chemicals out where everyone can

see.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/DailyNews/westnile_spraying020808.h

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