Four mosquito pools in Imperial County have tested positive for Saint Louis Encephalitis ( SLE ).
The Imperial County Public Health Department says the mosquito pools were collected in the City of Imperial near La Paz Road and in the New River ravine area south of the Rio Bend RV Park. The samples were collected on June 12 and the test results were announced Friday , June 19.
Dr. Stephen Munday , Imperial County Public Health Department said , " It is important for our community to stay vigilant , prevent mosquito breeding and take precautions to prevent mosquito bites." Symptoms of SLE include fever , headache , nausea , vomiting and fatigue. Severe neuroinvasive disease , often involving encephalitis , an inflammation of the brain , is more common in older adults. SLE is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitos become infected when they feed on infected birds.