North Fort Myers horse euthanized after testing positive for West Nile virus

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla .– A horse in North Fort Myers had to be euthanized after testing positive for West Nile virus.

Now, the Lee County Mosquito Control District is working to control and monitor the spread of this potentially deadly mosquito-borne disease.

“If we find these antibodies, we know there are mosquitoes around here that are spreading this disease,” said Eric Jackson, of the Lee County Mosquito Control District.

From a chicken coop at their head office, Eric Jackson explained how the chickens housed at LCMCD are a kind of early warning system.

“We test every week. It’s all over the county, so not just in interior areas where you would expect to find freshwater mosquitoes, ”he said.

Freshwater mosquitoes are called Culex Nigripalpus and are the main carriers of West Nile virus.

This is why it is so important to drain any standing water on your property and to test chickens’ blood regularly.

“It is a very important surveillance tool for tracking viral activity in particular areas of Lee County,” said Milton Sterling, head of scientific intelligence at LCMCD.

With the data collected in their lab, they can better determine the next place to be treated for pesky parasites.

If you would like to request an area to be treated in Lee County, you can also do so in line.