Bug control a prime topic

PEABODY-In preparation of a biting frenzy by summertime?s pesky little bugs, the Board of Health has revamped their mosquito plan with the Northeast Mosquito Control Association (NMCA).Each year, members of the NMCA meet with the Board of Health to discuss their vector management plan, which includes trapping mosquitoes so they can test and identify cases of the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEE) and West Nile. However, this year, they are expanding their surveillance to another emerging virus, chikungunya.?(Chikungunya) is basically considered to be pandemic in countries along the Indian Ocean basin,” said Director of Health and Human Services Sharon Cameron. “It was strong in Italy last year. (NMCA) is concerned about it coming to the US.”According to the World Health Organization, the disease is rarely life threatening, but causes high fever and discomfort, particularly in the joints of those infected.The additional surveillance in Peabody is just a precaution.Cameron said that Peabody has long been involved in a contract with the NMCA, as are most communities in the North Shore. Danvers, Beverly, Lynn, and Nahant also subscribe to the organization?s city-paid services.?They develop a plan that targets each community,” said Cameron. “In a place like Peabody, they?re looking at wetlands and urban breeding.” Urban breeding involves not so natural breeding places, such as kiddie pools, garbage can lids, and old tires.Crews arrive in Peabody once a week over the summer and offer to spray resident?s yards and community recreational parks and fields with mosquito fighting pesticides. They also treat the city?s catch basins, a mosquito breeding hot spot.?It?s definitely worthwhile,” said Cameron. “Some communities don?t join up and then when there?s an isolation of West Nile virus, people kind of panic and now want the treatment?There?s a benefit to address this sort of more preventatively.”