Increased Vigilance for West Nile Virus on Fire Island

Fire Island National Seashore announced today that a sample of 
mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus (WNV) has been found on Fire 
Island. The National Park Service collected the mosquitoes on July 29 
from a gravid trap on the federal land just west of Fire Island Pines. 
The mosquitoes were from a trap set by the Park as part of its weekly 
monitoring program. Testing was done by the New York State Department of 
Health, Arthropod-Borne Disease Program, in Albany. This program is a 
collaborative effort between the Park and Suffolk County Department of 
Health Services, which announced the positive results on August 14. 
Although there have been dozens of WNV- infected dead birds throughout 
Suffolk County, none of these have been found within the boundaries of 
Fire Island National Seashore. 

The National Park Service works closely with the Centers for Disease 
Control (CDC), the New York State Department of Environmental 
Conser vation (DEC), Suffolk County Vector Control, and local Fire Island 
and Long Island municipalities to determine the best course of action to 
protect residents, visitors and employees of the Seashore. When threats 
to human health (such as the presence of West Nile virus) occur, actions 
to protect the public may include control methods such as applying 
larvicide or spraying. The public will be notified 24 hours in advance 
of any spray event. Information on the date and exact location of any 
spraying can be found on the Suffolk County web site at 
www.suffolkcountyny.gov/health or by calling 631- 852- 4939. Suffolk 
County Vector Control is currently authorized to spray within the Fire 
Island communities, including Fire Island Pines, using ultra low volume 
backpack or truck- mounted sprayers. 

The park is continuing its surveillance program to monitor the severity 
and extent of West Nile virus in the Seashore. As per the Park’s 
standard operation procedures, there will be an amplified surveillance 
in the area where West Nile virus has been detected. 

Mosquitoes can transmit both West Nile virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine 
Encephalitis (EEE) from an infected bird to humans and other animals. 
However, mosquitoes are a natural part of a healthy salt marsh ecology. 
The larvae and adults provide food for many kinds of wildlife, including 
other insects, fish, birds, and bats. Some measures taken to control 
mosquito populations, such as spraying insecticides, adversely affect 
the health of fish and other wildlife living in the wetlands. 
Insecticides may also filter very quickly through the soil to the water 
table and could possibly infiltrate the water we drink. Therefore, any 
actions taken to protect human health through the control of mosquitoes 
must be weighed very heavily. 

Residents, visitors and staff are advised to avoid mosquito-infested 
areas. If contact with mosquitoes is unavoidable, it is advisable to 
wear protective clothing and use an effective insect repellent, such as 
one containing at least 30% DEET. Non-DEET repellents (e.g. herbal-based 
sprays) are also effective. (Use much less repellent for children; DEET 
should only be used with extreme caution on children under age 3.) 
People most at risk of becoming ill from West Nile virus are those over 
50 years of age or whose immune system is impaired. Such people are 
advised to stay away from areas with mosquitoes. 

For general information on West Nile virus, please contact your local 
health department. Information can also be obtained from the CDC, New 
Yo rk State or Suffolk County WNV web sites, or one of the park visitor 
centers. 

For more information about Fire Island National Seashore’s mosquito 
program, contact Mike Bilecki, Chief of Resources Management at 
631-687-4760, or Fernando Villalba, Park Biologist, at 631-687-4769. 

For more information about Fire Island National Seashore, visit the 
park’s web site at www.nps.gov/fiis.