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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 25, 2018)
A10 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 NEWS Mosquito-borne diseases on the rise Problems may continue as planet temperatures grow warmer By KATHY ANEY STAFF WRITER The deadliest creature in the animal kingdom doesn’t have teeth or claws — it’s smaller and far more benign looking than bear, boa con- strictor or shark. “The number one most dangerous animal in the world is the tiny, tiny mos- quito,” said mosquito expert Sascha McKeon. “Mosquitos are the worst vectors. They transmit bacteria, viruses and parasites like protists and nematode worms. Mos- quitoes can carry multiple infectious agents.” Mosquitoes can pass along malaria, Dengue fever, chikungunya, encephali- tis, yellow fever, West Nile virus and zika, among oth- ers. Now, thanks to climate change, some of these ail- ments could someday come to a neighborhood near you. McKeon spent three years as a field researcher in the Brazilian Amazon and even discovered a previously unknown mosquito species — the Anopheles rickwilk- ersoni. The Blue Mountain Community College biology instructor spoke last week at the monthly Science Cafe hosted by the Eastern Ore- gon Climate Change Coa- lition (EOC3) at the Prod- igal Son Brewery & Pub in STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS A ground crew at the West Umatilla Mosquito Control District fills a aerial application bucket system with the larvicide, VectoBac G, on Thursday in Hermiston. STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS Mosquito expert Sascha McKeon spent three years in the Brazilian Amazon and discovered a previously unknown mosquito species - the anopheles rickwilkersoni. Pendleton. McKeon likes to refer to a mosquito researcher as a cross between Indiana Jones and Buffy the Vam- pire Slayer. Instead of gold, however, mosquito research- ers chase down larval breeding sites and genetic information. McKeon flashed on the screen a chart showing num- bers of people killed by var- ious animals. Sharks kill about 10 people in the world each year. Crocodiles kill 1,000. Snakes kill 50,000. Humans murder around 425,000. The mosquito stood alone in its lethality. “About 725,000 deaths a year can be attributed to mosquitoes worldwide,” McKeon said. The mosquitoes trans- mitting all those viruses and diseases aren’t found only in distant Africa or South America, McKeon said. They already live right here in the United States. “There are 3,500 dif- ferent species of mosqui- toes,” McKeon said. “They span all seven continents. There are mosquitoes that live in Antarctica. They are everywhere.” She ticked off the names of the three main types of mosquitoes on the planet — Culex, Aedes and Anopheles — and said all reside here. So why isn’t the U.S. swamped by deadly mosqui- to-borne diseases? “What’s really hold- ing back the diseases is that pathogens need a certain temperature to transmit,” McKeon said. She said mosquitoes can go full-throttle in places where the temperature is 84 degrees and higher year- round like the tropics. As long as we continue to have seasons, mosquitoes will die off and new uninfected batches will emerge, she said. But if we become like the tropics, then there will be no die-off. “Let’s flash forward 60 years from now,” McKeon said. “If our climate esti- mates go as predicted, by 2080, it’ll be 84 degrees almost year-round (in much of the U.S). This will be the new tropics. Oregon will have pockets.” Malaria has visited us before. McKeon flashed on Mosquito control is a constant fight By KATHY ANEY STAFF WRITER Responding to the sound of chopper blades, the five men looked toward the sun and the silhouette of small helicopter heading their way. The order of the day, as it is almost every summer day for them, was mosquito control. Four of the men — Andrew Ross, Dalton Hughes, Mark Wilkerson and Rylie Smith — work as mosquito control tech- nicians for the West Uma- tilla Mosquito Control Dis- trict, based in Hermiston. The other, Dan Long, is an employee of South County Helicopter. The helicopter landed next to a cone-shaped bucket to be hooked to the chopper’s belly by a trio of cables. In the bed of a nearby pickup truck, bags of VectoBac sat ready for load- ing into the bucket. The helicopter would spray nearby water bodies to kill developing mosquito larvae. Wearing dust masks, they hauled 10 of the bags to the bucket and dumped them in. Pilot Cliff Hoeft took off and flew a short way to the Power City Wildlife Area, where he made a pass, releasing his load of granu- lar larvicide. Before day’s end, Hoeft would treat water bodies in multiple locations, including Cold Springs, Stanfield/Echo Meadows and the Irrigon Wildlife Area. Combating mosquitoes by air is only one method. More often, the attack is by ground. These men spend many of their workdays trudg- ing through swampy areas in hip waders or riding four-wheelers to spray with the aid of backpack hoppers. It’s hot, humid work. “We get up at 5 a.m. and get to work early to beat the heat,” Ross said. Thwarting West Nile virus is one of the WUMCD’s aims, said Ross, the crew’s field supervisor. The crew detected the mos- quito-borne virus in three samples collected along the south bank of the Cold Springs Reservoir earlier this summer. The weapon of choice at the moment is a granu- lar formulation of a bacteria called Bacillus thuringien- sis, or Bti. “It’s a naturally occurring bacteria found in the soil,” Ross said. “The mosquitoes ingest it and it crystalizes in their gut.” The mosquitoes stop eat- ing and eventually die. Some could say such attempts to crack down on the millions of mosquitoes in the area is like trying to empty the ocean one bucket at a time. Ross has heard this before but says targeting the worst areas keeps the insects at bay. He recalls conversa- tions with old-timers from the area who remember mosquitoes making their lives miserable in years past. “They talk about going to a football game and being covered by them,” Ross said. Randy Gerard, manager of the mosquito control dis- trict, said the district has identified 13 different spe- cies over the years. He said surveillance is a huge part of what the district does. “No spraying of any kind is done without surveil- lance,” Gerard said. “There are roughly 600 sites that I know of.” Workers trap adult mos- quitoes to identify species and gauge how well they are doing. They test for West Nile. Most of their focus, however, is on the lar- vae. With fewer hatching, there’s less chance of dis- ease spreading. “The whole goal is to control mosquitoes from hatching out of the water,” Gerard said. “It’s a constant fight.” People can do their part by keeping standing water, such as clogged gutters, to a minimum on their property. HIGH SPEED INTERNET Enjov big-time Internet speeds without spending big bucks! Get Connected for as low as 14.95/mo. $ CONTACT YOUR LOCAL AUTHORIZED RETAILER 49.99/mo. 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Add High Speed Internet 14 . 95 $ /mo. 190 Channels CALL TODAY Save 20%! COMMUNITY NEW BEGINNINGS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Worship Service 10:30 AM Sunday School 9:00 AM Pastor J.C. Barnett Children’s Church & Nursery Available 700 West Orchard Avenue P.O. Box 933 Hermiston, Oregon 541-567-8441 First Christian Church “Proclaiming the Message of Hope, Living the Gospel of Love” Subject to availability. Restrictions apply. Internet not provided by DISH and will be billed separately. 1-866-373-9175 LET’S STIRRUP SOME FUN! www.hermistonlmbc.com First United Methodist Church Seventh-day Adventist Church Saturdays Sabbath School........9:30 a.m. Worship Service......11:00 a.m. English & Spanish Services 567-8241 Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church Wildhorse Resort & Casino Main Stage at the Fair Offer ends 7/11/18. Savings with 2 year price guarantee with AT120 starting at $59.99 compared to everyday price. 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Airport Rd., Hermiston, OR • 541.567.6121 The Full Gospel Home Church Sawyer Brown Wed. • Aug. 8 • 9pm S AT ., A UG . 4 TH 6:30 PM Title Sponsor Pastor David Dever 567-3013 Tues. • Aug. 7 • 9pm August 7 - 11 F AIR K ICK -O FF P ARADE 125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232 775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston Worship Gathering 10:00 am Children’s Church 10:00 am 235 SW 3rd Phone 567-7678 Rev. Ed Baker - Rev. Nina Baker Sunday: Sunday School........10:00 am Worship...................11:00 am Evening Service........7:00 pm Wednesday Service..7:00 pm “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 1 Pet. 5:7 New Rides! Purchase your all-day ride pass before August 7 for $25 ($5 off) LANDMARK BAPTIST CHURCH Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am Sun. Evening Worship..............6:00pm Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......6:00pm Hermiston Jr. Academy 1300 NW Academy Lane, • Hermiston Your Family Deserves The methods to eliminate malaria from the country by 1949. It will likely return as global temperatures rise. McKeon isn’t all gloom and doom. She hopes man- kind will find a way to com- bat climate change. There are ways to control mos- quitoes, and the arsenal is growing. She said mosquitos are- also an integral part of sev- eral ecological systems. WORSHIP 1520 W ORCHARD AVE Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am Classes for Kids @ 9:15 am SEEKING JESUS, SHARING LIFE, SERVING PEOPLE www.hermistonnazarene.org EARTHLINK INTERNET Get Connected for as low as the screen a photo of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. “This was not built to be the CDC,” she said. “It was built (in 1942) to be the Office of Malaria Control.” The office was placed in Atlanta because the South had the most malaria prob- lems. The National Malaria Eradication Program sprayed, drained mosquito breeding sites and used other Hermiston 191 E. Gladys Ave , Hermiston OR Sunday Worship 11am • 541-567-3002 Nursery available Check us out on Face Book Worship Livestream at herfumc.com Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor Grace Baptist Church 555 SW 11th, Hermiston 567-9497 Nursery provided for all services Sunday School - 9:30 AM Worship - 10:45 AM 6:00 PM Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM “Proclaiming God’s word, growing in God’s grace” St. Johns Episcopal Church Join Us On Our Journey With Jesus. Scripture, Tradition and Reason Family service 9am Sunday N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston t. PH: 567-6672 We are an all inclusive Church who welcomes all. 565 W. HERMISTON AVE. DAILY MASS: Monday-Friday ...............................English 7:00 am Thursday...............Spanish 6:00 pm SATURDAY:.........English 5:00 pm ...............................Spanish 7:00 pm SUNDAY:..............English 9:00 am ..........................Bilingual 11:00 am ..............................Spanish 1:00 pm Offi ce..............................567-5812 To share your worship times call 541-278-2678
