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Katie Woolf spoke with Director Medical Entomology Nina Kurucz · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: There's been quite a lot of mosquitoes about. I know
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: I've certainly noticed them around. Now joining us on the
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  Speaker 1: line to talk more about the well the risk that
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  Speaker 1: those increased number of mosquitoes can bring is the Director
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  Speaker 1: of Medical Entomology, Nina Kurrents. Good morning to you, Nina.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, good morning, Katie, Nina.
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  Speaker 1: Good to talk to you.
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  Speaker 2: Gee.
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  Speaker 1: There seems like there's lots of mosquitoes around at the moment.
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  Speaker 2: Look, there certainly are. We have seen it in other years,
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  Speaker 2: but it hasn't been that bad in more recent years.
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  Speaker 2: So this is why everybody is noticing it. And it
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  Speaker 2: is pretty bad. And that is because we had very
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  Speaker 2: high tides in October and November and we also had
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  Speaker 2: some local rain, so there were eggs already waiting to hatch.
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  Speaker 2: We're talking about the Salt Marsha mosquitoes and they all
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  Speaker 2: came out and then every female can lay up to
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  Speaker 2: two hundred eggs, so there's masses of eggs.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, goodness.
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  Speaker 2: Health Services has done a lot of aerial and ground
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  Speaker 2: control in and around Darwin. Despite that, we know that
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  Speaker 2: the Salt Marsh mossies can fly up to a fifty kilometers,
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  Speaker 2: so there's huge swamp coastal areas, and they're dispersing and
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  Speaker 2: they're coming into areas like Darwin Parkle areas. So this
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  Speaker 2: is why we are saying, because there's not a vaccine
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  Speaker 2: for Ross river virus and these mozzies can transmit to
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  Speaker 2: the disease, that people really need to be careful, cover up,
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  Speaker 2: use of repellents, and not get bitten by mosquitoes.
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  Speaker 1: And so is that the main advice here. Just make
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  Speaker 1: sure that you are covering up.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, pretty much, cover up. Unfortunately, these mosquitos are very
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  Speaker 2: aggressive spiders and they're by day and night, so covering
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  Speaker 2: up and using the repellents, and if possible, stay inside.
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  Speaker 2: If you do not have to run around outside, it's
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  Speaker 2: probably the best advice. Get some mosquito lanterns or do
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  Speaker 2: some barrier spraying in your yard to avoid getting sick.
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  Speaker 2: Really and unfortunately, of it's a relief for all of
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  Speaker 2: us that the monsoon is coming now, but that means
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  Speaker 2: that the freshwater mosquitoes are also shortly coming up in numbers,
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  Speaker 2: and they're the main mosquitoes that can transmit rosro avirus,
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  Speaker 2: and they're active at nights, so covering up and staying
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  Speaker 2: away from mosquito prone areas, especially late in the afternoon,
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  Speaker 2: evening nighttime is the best advice.
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  Speaker 1: And Nina, what exactly is ross river the virus for
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  Speaker 1: those out there listening who maybe don't know what the
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  Speaker 1: symptoms are.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, so ros ribavirus occurs throughout Australia. It's been around
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  Speaker 2: for a long time. It's transmitted by mosquitoes, and the
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  Speaker 2: mosquitoes because they live long enough due to the humidity
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  Speaker 2: now they pick up the virus from a host animal,
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  Speaker 2: so mainly out in the open areas that's supposed to
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  Speaker 2: be wallabies, and they can transmit it to humans. So
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  Speaker 2: the symptoms are mainly painful and sometimes also swollen joint
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  Speaker 2: and muscle, so mainly affecting ankles, finger, knees and risk.
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  Speaker 2: Some people also develop a raised red rash, mostly on
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  Speaker 2: the limbs and the trunk, and then there is fever
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  Speaker 2: and fatigue. Unfortunately no vaccine, and it's very debilitating because
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  Speaker 2: it's hard for you to walk or grip anything and
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  Speaker 2: you're just tired and this can last for months and
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  Speaker 2: some people really covering up not getting bitten is the
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  Speaker 2: way to go here.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, it sounds like it. It sounds like it to
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  Speaker 1: be terrible to end up with roschrivivirus. And yeah, the
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  Speaker 1: best way to obviously make sure that you that you
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  Speaker 1: protect yourself is literally to do that. To protect yourself
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  Speaker 1: with clothing and make sure you're wearing insect repellent.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and the other thing everybody should be doing this
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  Speaker 2: time of the year with the rain, go out into
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  Speaker 2: your yard and tip everything out that can hold water
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  Speaker 2: and store it upside down or out of the rain.
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  Speaker 2: Because there's another mosquito. It's a little black one with
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  Speaker 2: striped legs as well. Yeah, that can bite you. It
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  Speaker 2: hangs around houses and it can also transmit ros rivervirus.
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  Speaker 2: So go out into your yard, send the kids out
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  Speaker 2: to tip out any water that's lying around.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, good advice. And Nina, you did say that there
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  Speaker 1: are different control programs in place at the moment. What
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  Speaker 1: are they?
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  Speaker 2: So as we speak, all our offices are out today,
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  Speaker 2: there will be out tomorrow and for the rest of
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  Speaker 2: the day. So we have got a extensive aerial or
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  Speaker 2: helicopter mosquito servants and control program which is servicing all
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  Speaker 2: the swamp areas that border the northern Darwin suburbs. So
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  Speaker 2: we're talking Leaniamigitt creek, shoal based swamp those areas. So
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  Speaker 2: we are going out there looking exactly where the salt
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  Speaker 2: marsh mosquitoes are breeding and then target those breeding sites
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  Speaker 2: and control the breeding. On top of that, we are
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  Speaker 2: servicing all the non mosquito breeding sites and dowin urban areas,
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  Speaker 2: so that's all the storm water rains and any grassy depressions,
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  Speaker 2: mangrove areas let's say the Ladmiller swamp for example, along
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  Speaker 2: Coconut grove. All those areas we look for the mosquitos
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  Speaker 2: and treat them as well.
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  Speaker 1: And so when you say treat them, do you I
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  Speaker 1: mean do they spray something to try and kill them.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, So there's different insecticides where we are using mainly two.
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  Speaker 2: One is there called a mesoprem product. They are little
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  Speaker 2: pellets and they're actually used in drinking water in Asia,
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  Speaker 2: so they're very safe and what they do they suppress
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  Speaker 2: the development from the lava mosquito into the adult mosquito.
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  Speaker 2: And then in the swamp areas where the helicopter we
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  Speaker 2: use more of a product called BTI. So that's a
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  Speaker 2: life bacteria which is very target specific for mosquitos and
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  Speaker 2: not harmful to people and what happens there. As soon
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  Speaker 2: as the bacteria hits the water, the mosquito ingest the
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  Speaker 2: bacteria and it kills their stomach lining within a few hours,
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  Speaker 2: and the product is only viable in the sun for
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  Speaker 2: a few hours up to twenty four hours, and then
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  Speaker 2: it disappears again.
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  Speaker 1: They do goodness may so certainly plenty of work going
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  Speaker 1: on to try and minimize the risk of people ending
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  Speaker 1: up with Ross rivervirus. Nina, how do you know whether
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  Speaker 1: you've got it? Do you have to go? You obviously
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  Speaker 1: have to go for a blood test or something with
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  Speaker 1: your GP.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, you do, and if the test comes back positive,
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  Speaker 2: you definitely have to go and get a second test
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  Speaker 2: to confirm it's really ross river because there's lots of
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  Speaker 2: other medical conditions that are very similar. Yeah, so if
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  Speaker 2: it comes positive the first time, it might not necessarily
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  Speaker 2: mean that you do have ross rivavirus, so definitely go
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  Speaker 2: back a second time for a second test.
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  Speaker 1: There you go, Well, Nina, it's always great to talk
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  Speaker 1: to you. You certainly know you know your stuff, There's
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  Speaker 1: no doubt about it. I'm quite fascinated by it. Is
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  Speaker 1: there anywhere where people can go if they're after a
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  Speaker 1: little bit more information.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, on the Medical Entomology website, there is a whole
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  Speaker 2: hand out on personal protection that also outlines all the
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  Speaker 2: different mosquito lanterns, and also on there for next year,
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  Speaker 2: and obviously still this here the old Marsh Mosquito and
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: the Biding Midge pet calendar, so that outlines when we
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  Speaker 2: are expecting situations to be pretty bad.
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  Speaker 1: Oh, there's always plenty for us to worry about in
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  Speaker 1: terms of those those midgies and the mosquitoes, isn't there?
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  Speaker 2: Yes, unfortunately there is. We are living in the tropics. Yeah,
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  Speaker 2: little tritters are around.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, they most certainly are.
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  Speaker 2: I can assure you that the Top and Health Service
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  Speaker 2: is doing everything it possibly can to control the situation.
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  Speaker 2: But unfortunately with the dispersal rate.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's hard well, and it's one of those
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  Speaker 1: hard things. Like you said, we live in the tropics,
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  Speaker 1: so there is that expectation. You know, you're never going
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  Speaker 1: to be able to get rid of of all the
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  Speaker 1: mosquitos and all the midgies. It is part of life here,
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  Speaker 1: and I think the best thing for us to do
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  Speaker 1: is just make sure that we protect ourselves as best
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  Speaker 1: we can.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, And just to mention one more thing, So there's
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  Speaker 2: now an alternative insect repellent. Usually we say the deed
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  Speaker 2: and picaridin based repellents are the best and long lasting,
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  Speaker 2: and while that's still the case, as an alternative one
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  Speaker 2: that's called PMD. It's a lemon eucalyptus extract that's available
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  Speaker 2: as well at chemist and if that's used at a
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  Speaker 2: percentage of at least thirty percent, is also very effective.
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  Speaker 1: Excellent. Well, it is always good to have those options,
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  Speaker 1: particularly for some people who've got skin conditions and that
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  Speaker 1: kind of thing as well.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly.
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  Speaker 1: Well, Nina, lovely to speak to you this morning. I
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  Speaker 1: always appreciate your time. Thanks so much for coming on today.
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  Speaker 2: Thanks Katie, thank you.
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  Speaker 1: That is the director of medical Entomology there, Nina Kurtz,
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  Speaker 1: And yeah, it is that time of year. I think
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  Speaker 1: we've all probably noticed the increased number of mosquitos around
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  Speaker 1: the place, and it's a very good reminder to make
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  Speaker 1: sure that we do cover up. So the advice that
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  Speaker 1: we're being given is avoid locations where mosquito activity is high,
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  Speaker 1: especially after sundown. Make sure you use the mosquito proof
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  Speaker 1: accommodation and camping facilities at night. If you're out camping,
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  Speaker 1: wear the light colored clothing and long sleeves, long trousers,
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  Speaker 1: and socks, especially between dusk and dawn in areas where
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  Speaker 1: mosquitoes are likely to bite. Make sure that you use
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  Speaker 1: a protective repellent containing twenty percent deep or there is also,
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  Speaker 1: like she said, the PMD, so it's got lemon eucalyptus
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  Speaker 1: in it at a concentration of at least thirty percent
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  Speaker 1: as a supplement to protective clothing, with creams providing best protection.
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  Speaker 1: Also use those mossy coils, mosquito lanterns, barrier sprays, and
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  Speaker 1: tip out any of that water that is holding you know,
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  Speaker 1: that's holding the you know, the bits of larvae or
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  Speaker 1: whatever in there, and it is obviously a place where
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  Speaker 1: they do breed, so make sure that you tip that
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  Speaker 1: water out if it is around your yard