Public Health begins mosquito watch Published May 2, 2010 By Staff Sgt. Walia Smith 51st Aerospace Medicine Squadron OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- It's that time of year again. The buzz of mosquitoes is in the air, and the 51st Medical Group's Public Health flight is kicking-off its mosquito surveillance program. Mosquito trapping is an important program provided by Public Health. The plan for this year is to set traps on a weekly basis at 14 locations throughout Osan. The samples will be collected, counted and shipped to the Army Entomologist. This surveillance activity provides us with the numbers and types of mosquitoes in the area. The numbers are passed on to pest management to determine spraying cycles. The threat of mosquito-borne diseases is a reality in the Republic of Korea. Japanese Encephalitis is common in the ROK with a few cases occurring in 1994 and 1998. The last major outbreaks occurred in 1982 and 1983. Malaria is still common here since its reemergence in the early 1990s, although the number of cases have dropped considerably this decade due to a combination of mosquito control strategies and the widespread use of malaria medication. Malaria cases, once confined to the areas near the demilitarized zone, now can be seen throughout the ROK to include the areas near Osan and Suwon. Although some of the cases may be transient (i.e., actual transmission occurred in northern areas), the general thought from public health officials via patient interviews is that transmission of malaria is more widespread and no longer limited to areas north of Seoul. The good news is there are things you can do to prevent being bitten and potentially infected by mosquitoes. The best ways to avoid being bitten are to limit time spent outdoors during dawn and dusk hours, keeping window and door screens in good condition (tightly sealed and without holes) and using repellents that contain Picaridin or DEET when outdoors. Please note that the amount of DEET in a repellent should be 30 percent or less for adults and 10 percent for children. Another good prevention method is to reduce the amount of standing water around your work place and home. Any container that can hold water for a period of several days is a potential breeding vehicle for mosquitoes. Some of these breeding sites range from flowerpots located outside of our homes, patios and porches to old tires and tarps. When noticed, these items should be checked periodically and drained when it contains water. Standing water is a critical element in the mosquitoes' life cycle, so try to eliminate it. In addition to these environmental control measures of fogging and limitation of breeding sites and conditions, personnel can further protect themselves from mosquitoes by wearing light-colored clothing, long sleeve shirts, long pants, socks and shoes. For more information about mosquito borne diseases and prevention methods, log onto the Centers for Disease Control website at cdc.gov. You can also call the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron Help Desk (784-4304) or Public Health (784-4494) for complaints to conduct surveys of workplaces and/or residential areas.