Editor,
While West Nile Virus has been found in several parts of New Mexico, including Bernalillo County, it is not something we should be worried about on campus.
This disease, while serious, only seems to infect people more than 50 years old. While there are a number of us in that category, we still don't need to be worried, as mosquitoes aren't a problem on campus.
Although we shouldn't be worried, we should definitely be aware of the problem.
If you live in an area where mosquitoes are common such as the valley or anywhere along the river you should take some common sense precautions. Don't wear shorts or short-sleeved shirts during the hours around sunset, when mosquitoes are most active. If you go outside, wear a repellent.
While a lot of people recommend DEET products, I do not, as it is a pesticide. There are a number of natural repellents you can use that are much safer. Cactus Juice, available online, Cedarwood oil and catnip oil are all good mosquito repellents. None of them last as long as DEET, but I would rather reapply a natural mosquito repellent every hour or so than have a pesticide repellent soaking into my pores over a twelve-hour period. If you want to use a DEET product, make sure it is 30 percent DEET or less and no more than 10 percent DEET for children.
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Mosquito season is almost over. They will die off or go into hibernation at the first frost, so the threat of WNV is just about finished for this year. However, if we have a wet winter as some are suggesting, we will have an early mosquito season next year.
West Nile Virus, Hantavirus and plague are all serious insect or rodent-borne diseases found throughout New Mexico. None of them are a problem on campus. You are far more likely to get raped and murdered in Albuquerque than you are to get one of these diseases.
Richard "Bugman" Fagerlund, B.C.E.
UNM Environmental Services
