Don’t let your guard down against mosquitoes.

That’s the word from Fresno public health officials following the confirmation of the first local human case of St. Louis Encephalitis this year.

“This positive case is a strong reminder that we need to stay vigilant as mosquitoes may continue to cause several severe illnesses, including West Nile Virus infection, which require hospitalization and intensive care,” said Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County interim health officer, in a news release Wednesday morning.

SLE is a mosquito-borne disease and can produce inflammation of the brain. People contract SLE from the bite of an infected Culex mosquito.

SLE Symptoms

Symptoms usually start abruptly, with fever, headache, dizziness, nausea, and generalized weakness that typically worsen over a period of several days to a week, public health officials said.

Some patients recover after this period. Most infections are mild or with no symptoms; however, others may develop signs of central nervous system infections, including stiff neck, confusion, disorientation, dizziness, tremors, and unsteadiness. Coma can develop in severe cases. There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat SLE.

Watch: Mosquito Education and Prevention

How to Protect Yourself and Others

The FCDPH recommends that individuals contact their local mosquito control district regarding standing water or mosquito problems, as well as to report any neglected swimming pools. Neglected pools are a major source of mosquito production in urban and suburban areas.

All residents are encouraged to report dead birds by visiting https://westnile.ca.gov or by calling toll-free 1-877-WNV-BIRD (968-2473).

For additional information, visit:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/sle/index.html.
• California Department of Public Health: https://bit.ly/39nevb7
• California WNV Website: https://westnile.ca.gov/
• California SLEV Website: https://westnile.ca.gov/sle.php.
• Link to your local Fresno County Mosquito Control District: https://fresnocountymosquito.org/