ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — According to a report from the Baldwin County Health Department a sentinel chicken from the Orange Beach area tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Ongoing public health surveillance, however, has detected no mosquito-borne virus activity in humans in Baldwin County this year.

EEE, West Nile Virus (WNV) and other mosquito-borne viruses are transmitted from bird to mosquito to bird.

Occasionally, when bird hosts are scarce, the same mosquitoes will take blood from mammals, including birds and horses. Humans and horses can sometimes become ill from the infection.

The likelihood of transmission to humans and horses can be decreased by personal mosquito avoidance and the use of EEE and WNV vaccine in horses. There is no vaccine available for humans, health officials said.

“With summer in full swing and many people enjoying outdoor activities, it is imperative that residents take every effort to reduce their exposure to mosquitoes,” said Baldwin County Health Department Environmentalist Rachel Beck. “Keep your mosquito repellent with you at all times when you are working or recreating outdoors.”

Baldwin County Health Department established a mosquito control program in 2003 that includes surveillance activities such as mosquito trapping and testing and sentinel chicken surveillance.

“We have 16 chickens located in different parts of Baldwin County,” Beck explained. “Each week we take a blood sample and send it to the Department of Health in Tampa, Fla. for testing, then they send us back a report. We have had viruses show up in Baldwin County before, but this is the first case we have seen this year.”

In addition to surveillance activities, the department also works to eliminate mosquito-breeding sites and conducts larvicide and adulticide applications. Larvicide is also available free to the public for application in low-lying areas that retain water and ornamental ponds.

“It is reasonable to assume that mosquito-borne viruses are likely circulating between mosquitoes and birds in all parts of Baldwin County,” Beck said. “Everyone should try to avoid exposure to mosquitoes.”

Mosquitoes that can spread these viruses among birds are commonly found in urban and suburban communities as well as rural, freshwater swamp areas. They will breed readily in storm sewers, ditches, waste lagoons and in artificial containers around one’s home. Health officials said it is imperative that homeowners do a careful inspection around their homes to be sure nothing holds water for longer than three days.

One way, especially during these hot summer months is to keep bushes and hedges trimmed around the house.

“The mosquito’s don’t seem to be as active during the hot part of the day, and they will use the bushes and overgrown areas to hide out,” Beck said. “That is why it is important to keep these trimmed regularly, so that they will have no place to linger.”

Mosquito-borne virus surveillance has been conducted statewide for the past five years. During that time, EEE, WNV, St. Louis Encephalitis Virus, and La Crosse Encephalitis Virus have been detected. Epidemiologists point out that EEE can be more dangerous to people and other mammals than other mosquito-borne viruses, but that the same mosquito prevention measures reduce exposures to both.

So how might one know if they have become infected with the virus?

“Well, it is a virus, so symptoms will be flu-like symptoms with high fever and body aches,” Beck said. “One would probably not have the sinus congestion that is normally associated with the flu. This would be the same for EEE or WNV.”

The health department will continue to notify local officials of test results and recommend methods of prevention.