As temperatures climb ahead of summer, Houston residents face increased risks from mosquito-borne diseases, with environmental shifts potentially amplifying these threats, health experts warn.
Recent environmental shifts are creating more favorable conditions for mosquitoes and the diseases they carry, according to Dr. Sarah Gunter, Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine.
“Rising temperatures will increase the time, or decrease the time it takes from a mosquito egg to turn into an adult mosquito. It can also impact how viruses replicate in the mosquitoes. Same thing with ticks. And when they bite, what they bite all of those things are impacted by, you know, how hot, how humid it is outside and how much it’s been raining,” Gunter explains.
Growing Urban Health Concerns
The warming global climate could accelerate the spread of dangerous pathogens including West Nile, Dengue, and Zika viruses. Houston is currently in its peak season for mosquito activity, with Dr. Gunter noting, “Here in Harris County, we typically think of mosquito-borne disease season as May through October.”
Urban environments like Houston present unique challenges in mosquito control. Isabelle Bunge, Post-doctoral Research Fellow at Rice University, points out the specific risks in metropolitan areas: “Urban areas can provide artificial breeding sites, just places where water from rainfall gets trapped and they end up producing and reproducing at a higher rate.”
Understanding West Nile Risk
While West Nile virus remains the primary concern for the Houston area, Dr. Gunter emphasizes that most infections are mild or asymptomatic. “It’s only about 20% of people develop a clinical disease, symptoms of it, and about 1% get really sick,” she explains.
Protection Strategies
Despite the relatively low risk of severe illness, health officials stress the importance of prevention during peak mosquito season. Dr. Gunter recommends specific protective measures: “Using an appropriate repellent is a great way to protect yourselves from both mosquitoes and ticks. So repellents that contain DEET or oil of lemon eucalyptus are really effective. And those go directly on your skin or on your clothing. And there’s also something called permethrin. You can treat your clothes, not your skin, before you go out.”
Monitoring Local Risk
Houston residents can stay informed about mosquito-borne disease risks in their area. “You can look on Harris County Mosquito and Vector Control’s website, and they have every time that there’s a West Nile positive pool of mosquitoes, they post it,” Dr. Gunter advises.
