There is an ongoing controversy about the best approach and key concerns with Iberia Parish’s Mosquito Abatement efforts.

Iberia Parish Mosquito Control Director Herff Jones in a recent press release cited several mosquito borne diseases and the need for prevention efforts against them.

“Our main concern will be the alpha and flaviviruses (Easter Equine Encephalitis, St. Louis Encephalitis and West Nile Virus) as well as Dengue (Fever) and Chagas (Disease),” Jones said in an April 13 story in The Daily Iberian.

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State Department of Health and Hospital’s spokesman Bob Johannessen downplayed the concern about Dengue Fever.

“I don’t recall us having any case of that in Louisiana in years,” Johannessen said.

Dr. Dawn Wesson, a professor of global and community health at Tulane University in New Orleans, said that Dengue does not occur in Louisiana, “as far as we know.” However, she said it does occur in South Texas.

“We do have the mosquito species present which are capable of transmitting it,” Wesson said. “The parasite causing Chagas disease occurs naturally in wild animals like armadillos, raccoons and opossums throughout the southern U.S. So yes, it is present in Louisiana, but we rarely see human cases.”

With respect to his earlier statement regarding the need for dark-colored clothing, Jones sent a revision of this point to The Daily Iberian.

“Color (light or dark) is not the issue,” Jones said. “The issue is to cover up. Wear long sleeves, pants and socks when outdoors, especially when mosquitoes are most active.”

Mosquitos are most active from dusk to dawn, according to Centers for Disease Control’s Web site.

Glenn Stokes of Mosquito Control Contractors is a medical entomologist and was formerly contracted by Iberia Parish for mosquito abatement efforts. In his assessment, the color of clothing is a factor.

“You get almost double the number of mosquitos with dark clothing as with light-colored clothing,” Stokes said. “Furthermore, Dengue Fever does not occur in Louisiana and has never occurred in Iberia Parish, and Chagas disease is strictly a disease of Central and South America and is not a threat to humans in the U.S.”