Latest news with #ConnecticutAgriculturalExperimentStation
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
CT officials to begin mosquito testing for potentially deadly viruses as invasive species spreads
Connecticut's annual mosquito management program began on Monday to monitor the insects for the presence of viruses that can cause illness in people, including West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis virus, officials said. The mosquito trapping and testing program, conducted by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, lasts until the end of October, according to officials. This year's testing comes amid an increase in an invasive mosquito that is known for its voracious appetite and rapid spread that has alarmed state entomologists. Among mosquito-borne diseases in the region, West Nile virus occurs every summer in the Northeast, and has become the main cause of mosquito-borne illness in the state, officials said. It was first introduced into the New York City area in 1999. Last year, West Nile virus was detected in 309 mosquito samples from 44 towns in seven counties in Connecticut, officials said. The majority of West Nile virus activity occurred in urban and suburban regions in Fairfield, Hartford and New Haven counties. Thirteen human cases of West Nile virus-associated illness were reported last year from July 30 to Sept. 15. EEE virus is more rare than West Nile virus but can cause serious illness in people, with four to eight cases reported in a typical year in the U.S. The last major outbreak in the U.S. occurred in 2019, when the number of confirmed human cases rose to 38, with four cases and three fatalities in Connecticut, officials said. The virus was detected from 72 mosquito samples from 16 towns in Fairfield, Middlesex, New London, and Windham counties during 2024. Veterinary cases of EEE were reported from one horse, a white-tailed deer and two wild birds, according to officials. There were no human cases reported in Connecticut, but cases were reported from nearby states including all of the states in New England, as well as New York and New Jersey. While other mosquito-borne illnesses like Dengue fever and Zika virus can spread in Connecticut, they have not been locally transmitted yet in the state, officials said. 'The mosquito season has begun,' said Dr. Philip Armstrong, chief scientist at CAES. 'We will be trapping and testing mosquitoes from 108 locations throughout Connecticut to monitor the risk of mosquito-borne disease. Typically, West Nile virus activity peaks from July-September with highest levels of activity in urban and suburban communities in the state. 'Seasonal transmission of EEE virus, in contrast, occurs more sporadically with focal areas located in rural areas of eastern Connecticut. We encourage everyone to take precautionary measures against mosquito bites, such as covering bare skin and wearing mosquito repellent, especially during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active,' he added. The CAES has a network of 108 mosquito-trapping stations in 88 municipalities throughout the state. Mosquito traps are set Monday through Thursday at each site every 10 days on a rotating basis and then at least once a week after detection of a virus, officials said. Mosquitoes are grouped for testing according to species, collection site and date, officials with CAES said. To reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, officials recommend: Minimizing time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. When it is necessary to be outdoors, use mosquito repellents containing an EPA-registered active ingredient, including DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. EPA registration of skin-applied repellent products indicates that they have been evaluated and approved for human safety and effectiveness when applied according to instructions on the label. Wear shoes, socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time or when mosquitoes are more active. Clothing should be light-colored and loose-fitting and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin. Wear clothing and gear treated with permethrin. Permethrin is an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes and ticks. Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair. When sleeping outdoors, use tents or mosquito netting in an unscreened structure. Treat camping gear with permethrin when possible. Cover strollers and baby carriers with mosquito nets when outside. For information on West Nile virus and EEE, what can be done to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes, the latest mosquito test results and human infections, visit the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program website at Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@
New York Post
30-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Potentially deadly bacteria found in invasive tick for first time in US
As outdoor activities begin to ramp up ahead of summer, Connecticut officials announced Tuesday that they confirmed the first US case of the invasive longhorned tick carrying Ehrlichia chaffeensis, a bacteria capable of causing a potentially deadly disease. Known as human monocytic ehrlichiosis, or HME, the disease initially causes symptoms such as sudden high fever, chills and fatigue a few weeks after an infection, according to officials with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES). Advertisement Symptoms may progress to include symptoms such as nausea, confusion and, ultimately, kidney failure and respiratory complications. HME is usually spread by the lone star tick, which is native to the US and found throughout most of the eastern, southeastern, and south-central parts of the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. However, the recent case of a tick carrying Ehrlichia chaffeensis, the bacteria behind HME, in Connecticut involved the longhorned tick, a tick species native to eastern Asia. With the rise of outdoor activities, Connecticut officials announced that they have the first confirmed US case of the invasive longhorned tick carrying Ehrlichia chaffeensis. shishiga – Advertisement This species' role in carrying the bacteria and spreading HME is significant because the invasive species is expected to spread throughout the eastern US, officials said. They noted that this is due to the animal's ability to reproduce without a male, along with its unrestrictive feeding. 'The first fully engorged human-parasitizing longhorned tick specimen was recorded by the CAES in 2018 from Fairfield, Connecticut, and the first populations of the tick were reported from this county in 2020,' said Dr. Goudarz Molaei, director of the CAES Passive Tick and Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance Program. Known as human monocytic ehrlichiosis, or HME, the disease can be potentially deadly, with symptoms such as high fever, chills and fatigue being present if affected by the tick. Mayo Clinic Advertisement 'Since then, populations of longhorned ticks have expanded into a number of towns in Fairfield and New Haven Counties. Additionally, individual tick specimens have been collected from New London and other counties.' Officials warned of the species' ability to expand their geographic range and their potential to transmit pathogens that could threaten the health of humans, pets and other animals. They noted that the longhorned tick has been found to transmit a variety of pathogens in the US, such as those that cause Lyme disease.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
First longhorned tick infected with life-threatening bacterium found in Fairfield County
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Tuesday says they've found the first evidence of the invasive longhorned tick infected with the potentially life-threatening Ehrlichia chaffeensis in the United States. The tick was found in Fairfield County, a member of CAES said. Invasive ticks spread across more Connecticut counties According to CAES, Ehrlichia chaffeensis is a Gram-negative bacterium that mostly spreads through the lone star tick. It causes human monocytic ehrichiosis, which can start with a sudden high fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, and fatigue within the first weeks of infection. Symptoms may also progress to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss or confusion. If its not treated quickly, HME can led to life-threatening symptoms like kidney failure and respiratory insufficiency, CAES said. Tick season 2025: What to know as disease risk rises Dr. Goudarz Molaei, a research scientist and medical entomologist who also directs the CAES Passive Tick and Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance Program (aka Tick Testing Laboratory) said: 'The first fully engorged human-parasitizing longhorned tick specimen was recorded by the CAES in 2018 from Fairfield, Connecticut, and the first populations of the tick were reported from this county in 2020. Since then, populations of longhorned ticks have expanded into a number of towns in Fairfield and New Haven Counties. Additionally, individual tick specimens have been collected from New London and other counties.' Native to eastern Asia, the longhorned tick thrives in warm and humid environments, CAES said. The longhorned tick has spread to 21 states since first discovered in the United States in 2017. It's primarily found in the east and northeast. It poses a serious danger to domestic and wild animals, especially livestock as it transmits a wide variety of pathogens, including ones that cause Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and more. However, CAES said it's unknown if the tick can spready many of those disease agents. More information can be found on the Connecticut government website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
CT officials issue urgent plea for help stopping ‘a plague' in state waterways. Here's why and how.
One of the state's most invasive aquatic plants is causing massive damage to the Connecticut River and officials don't want boaters and others to continue the spread of the environmental and economic scourge. That message was loud and clear as Connecticut heads into Memorial Day weekend, both a time to honor the nation's fallen and the traditional beginning of the summer season, which includes many boats in the state's waters. Boats must be cleared of the plant to stop its spread, officials said. Boats can spread hydrilla, the aquatic invasive species from Asia called the 'most noxious, invasive' plant ever, and it is well-known for its ability to quickly propagate and take over aquatic ecosystems. Officials fear it will damage the state's $5.5 billion recreational economy. The plant significantly reduces water quality where it lives and spreads. By blocking sunlight, it encourages the growth of harmful algae, which can further reduce oxygen levels and produce toxins harmful to fish, wildlife, and even humans. It has caused massive damage to parts of the Connecticut River already and has been seen in other waterways. The plant also is one of Connecticut's most costly and destructive invasive plants, and is projected to continue its spread across the Connecticut River, with the loss of federal funding to combat the highly invasive plant, officials said. 'It's an ugly and hideous looking plant,' U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Friday at Riverside Park in Hartford. 'This is probably the most invasive aquatic plant in the world and it has invaded Connecticut. It is a plague on the Connecticut River but also on our lakes, streams, coves, and tidal basins. It can survive and thrive almost anywhere because it multiplies hideously fast.' For nearly a decade, state and federal scientists have studied the aquatic weed, looking for its vulnerabilities and why it has spread so successfully across 200 miles of the river and its tributaries in Connecticut. Hydrilla was first spotted in Connecticut in 2016 in Glastonbury, officials said. Last year, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began limited spraying of a herbicide that showed enormous potential for rooting out the invasive plant. Several areas of the Connecticut River that have been choked for years with hydrilla were cleared within days, according to officials. But efforts to continue clearing out the river of hydrilla are now in jeopardy, officials said. Nearly $5 million in federal funds that were allocated for ongoing hydrilla removal in the Connecticut River this year have been cut by Congress, according to Blumenthal's office. Based on last summer's successful herbicide application trials, the Army Corps planned to expand testing and increase the number of herbicide applications to about 16 locations in coming months, officials said. But the funding was removed by a continuing congressional budget resolution earlier this spring and much of what remained is impounded by the White House budget office, according to previous reporting. 'The problem is that this year for the first time the Army Corps of Engineers budget is down 44%,' Blumenthal said. 'But the good news is, I believe, we have bipartisan support for a $5.5 million dollar fund in 2026 to combat hydrilla. Because it is such a threat to not just the Connecticut River, but to all the lakes and streams where boaters may go.' Blumenthal was flanked by several state officials at Friday, including Michael Zaleski, president and CEO of Riverfront Recapture; Rhea Drozdenko, River Steward, Connecticut River Conservancy; Dr. Jason White, director of the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station; Margot Burns, Senior Environmental Planner at RiverCOG; and Justin Davis, Acting Deputy Director of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. 'We're at the start of Memorial Day weekend and that also starts the unofficial beginning of boating season in Connecticut,' Davis said. 'We here at CT DEEP encourage anyone fortunate enough to have a boat, to get out and have fun this summer, on the beautiful waterways of Connecticut. But to also do so in a safe and responsible manner and part of that is making sure you're not contributing to the spread of invasive species like hydrilla.' Davis said that boaters should follow state protocols and always inspect their boats for any vegetation before entering the water. Upon leaving the water, boaters should drain all the water out of their boat and let it fully dry. DEEP officials said they recommend letting a boat dry for five days before re-entering a body of water. 'This is a hugely important issue as there is a major economic impact,' Davis said. 'We have a $5.5 billion dollar recreation economy in Connecticut and fishing and boating is the biggest part of that economy. Hydrilla is a major threat to our waterways and Connecticut's recreation economy.' Scientists for years have studied hydrilla; until very recently believed to be confined to southern states, where it has clogged ponds and blocked rivers for decades. In 2016, amateur botanists found what they considered an odd weed growing in a river spur called Keeney Cove in Glastonbury. Not only was the weed found to be hydrilla, but DNA testing revealed it to be a genetically unique strain not known elsewhere. In the years since, hydrilla has spread explosively to cover more than 1,000 acres of river and tributaries and jump, carried by the boats and trailers of anglers, to many of the state's lakes and ponds. Edmund H. Mahony contributed to this story. Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mansfield Agriculture Committee to host farmers at forum Thursday
MANSFIELD — The Town of Mansfield's Agriculture Committee will host the annual Farmers Forum, where local farmers and legislators will share their plans and challenges. The forum will be held on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Lenard Hall, 450 S. Eagleville Road, Mansfield. The forum will feature keynote speaker Dr. Kimberly Stoner, formerly of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and now the director of Advocacy for the Northeast Organic Farming Association.
