Yellow Fever Mosquitoes Found in SD County

A rare and potentially dangerous mosquito has been found in San Diego County.

Four Aedes aegypti mosquitoes – known as “yellow fever mosquitoes” – were found in offices on Naval Base San Diego, according to county environmental health officials.

Yellow fever mosquitoes are more common on the East Coast but started appearing in California in 2013, officials said. The mosquitoes have recently been found in Commerce and Pico Rivera in Los Angeles County.

Yellow fever mosquitoes are small with black and white stripes. Unlike native California mosquitoes, these insects feed during the day. They can breed almost anywhere there’s standing water, including indoors, according to the county.

The county recommends anyone bitten by a mosquito indoors during the day should report it Vector Control at 858-694-2888.

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can carry yellow fever, chikungunya and dengue fever. All three diseases are rare.

There hasn’t been an outbreak of yellow fever in the United States in more than a century, according to the county. However, there have been two cases of chikungunya and one case of dengue fever diagnosed in San Diego County this year. All three patients had traveled outside the country.

Yellow fever symptoms include fever, chills, severe headache and back pain. The majority of patients will have no symptoms or only minor symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To help prevent mosquito breeding, the county is urging residents to dump out anything that can hold water – such as plant saucers, buckets or wheelbarrows – and report any standing water or dead birds to Vector Control.

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