Wetlands and West Nile Heralding summer's arrival, features on West Nile Virus have begun to proliferate the news once again. And the unusually wet spring experienced by most of the Mid-Atlantic region leaves an inquiring mind to wonder how much the soggy conditions will fortify breeding mosquitoes. Will the third wettest spring in Virginia since 19001 spawn mosquito populations beyond recollection and control causing a West Nile epidemic of SARS proportions? Fortunately, it's safe to say this scenario is highly improbable, no matter the quantity of precipitation. But what about wetland areas, one might ask. They are especially wet and swampy this year -- just the kind of habitat mosquitoes like, right? Wrong. This would be another incorrect assumption. In fact, wetter wetlands mean healthier wetlands. And healthier wetlands mean fewer mosquitoes, not more. Fully functioning, healthy wetlands are ecosystems that support numerous species of birds, fish, amphibians, and insects that feed on mosquitoes and their eggs and larvae. In addition, the primary mosquitoes responsible for transmitting West Nile Virus on the East coast, the Culex pipiens and Culex salinarius, do not even prefer to reproduce in functioning wetlands. These species of mosquitoes are most commonly found in artificial containers with standing water, such as abandoned tires, and neglected bird baths and rain gutters. They are also often found in highly polluted environments, such as sewage effluent and waste lagoons. None of these environments support mosquito predators. In an effort to reduce the West Nile Virus media hype, many federal agencies have prepared West Nile Virus fact sheets to help educate the public about West Nile without the sensational spin the news media often generate. A draft of one such fact sheet from the Environmental Protection Agency, "Wetlands & West Nile Virus" is available on WSSI's website (not yet posted on the EPA site). This short article provides a history of West Nile Virus and its symptoms, how mosquitoes carry and transmit the virus, and the role healthy wetland areas play in culling mosquito populations. Internet resource links are also provided for those who are interested in further reading on the subject: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile Virus: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm Maps of West Nile Distribution in the United States: http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/research/west_nile/wnv_map.html State and Regional Information: http://www.nbii.gov/geographic/us/state.html Cornell University, Center for the Environment http://environmentalrisk.cornell.edu/WNV/ West Nile Virus Quick Facts: 2 The vast majority (80%) of people bitten by a mosquito carrying the West Nile Virus never develop symptoms or become ill with West Nile fever; The majority of those who develop West Nile fever only experience mild, flu-like symptoms that subside within 3 to 6 days; Less than 1 percent of people who develop West Nile fever continue to experience persistent symptoms (such as muscle weakness) and develop a severe illness (meningitis and/or encephalitis). If you would like further information on this subject, contact Toni Pepin (tpepin@wetlandstudies.com) or Craig Tumer (ctumer@wetlandstudies.com). 1National Climate Data Center, a division of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2"Wetlands and West Nile", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003