Warm weather brings with it not only the joy of living but also waves of mosquitoes that could be dangerous to our health if infected with the West Nile virus.

Therefore, U.S. authorities urge people to stay away from mosquito bites, as much as possible and at the same time they are monitoring for possible cases of West Nile infection.

People can support authorities in their fight against mosquitoes by tracing any possible source of infection and by reporting dead corvid birds such as crows, magpies, ravens, jays or raptors. These birds usually die after being infected with West Nile virus. That’s why they can be warning signs that mosquitoes in the area could be carrying the virus. Horses can also be carriers of the virus.

Other useful things people could do is to inform authorities about abandoned pools or houses. It is already known that standing waters benefit mosquitos’ growth, but authorities could intervene with efficient ways to kill these mosquitoes. For example, they could insert mosquito-fish populations into the water, which feed on mosquito larva.

People should know that authorities provide programs that include fogging and applying larvicide on public properties. Also, people must inspect their properties for standing water and remove it, must change the water in bird baths, ponds, pet dishes and animal troughs at least once a week.

The bad news is that there is no vaccine that could prevent or treat West Nile infection. There is also good news, meaning that people are usually recovering very well after getting infected. Sometimes they even carry the virus but do not show any symptoms of the infection. According to statistics just one in five people will develop flu-like symptoms, which are related to West Nile infection.

However, there are cases when people could develop paralysis or other brain or spinal cord illnesses, which could put their lives in danger. These people usually include children, old people, people suffering from other chronic conditions or people whose immune system is weakened from various infections.

Besides taking care of their properties, people should also protect themselves by adopting some elementary rules like staying indoors when mosquitoes are most active (dusk to dawn), making sure screens on doors and windows are working properly, covering exposed skin with light-colored clothing when outside in the evening or using an effective repellent on exposed skin.