Key Points
Mosquitos that transmit the West Nile virus are immune to some bug sprays, and even live longer after exposure.Although rare, West Nile virus can cause severe illness or death.DEET and picaridin bug sprays are still effective, and should be used to prevent bites...
Extreme hot weather coupled with heavy storms this year has created the ideal conditions for mosquitoes, including the infamous Culex mosquito which transmits West Nile virus...
This combination of events has caused concern for researchers, who urge the public to be extra vigilant of West Nile virus and to protect themselves from bloodthirsty mosquitoes...
"This is just the beginning of when we see West Nile start to take off in the United States," Dr. Erin Staples, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC's Fort Collins lab, reported to NBC News..
It's not clear to scientists why the Culex mosquito is becoming resistant to community based insecticides which are sprayed liberally by farmers to protect produce, landscapers to avoid nuisance, and by vector control workers to prevent disease spread, reports Vox..
