Sentinel Chicken Program helps to detect mosquito-borne diseases across Hillsborough County
It's a daily battle to protect neighborhoods from the more than 40 species of mosquitoes found in Hillsborough County. However, the Mosquito Management Program has multiple tactics to keep residents and visitors safe. One strategy employs the help of 60 sentinel chickens to guard the county from mosquito-borne diseases, including West Nile virus.
The weather is getting hotter and wetter, which means mosquito season is ramping up. Though only female mosquitoes bite (they need the protein in blood for laying eggs), the nuisance these pests present and the diseases they carry can disrupt communities. To ensure the county's health and safety, the mosquito population must be closely watched.
Guardians of the county
To gauge the risk for mosquito-transmitted viruses, Hillsborough County uses flocks of sentinel chickens, which are strategically located across the county. The flocks, made up of about six chickens each, have their blood tested weekly. Samples are collected from each bird via a harmless poke under the wing.
The chickens' blood is then sent to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) where it is tested for four different viruses: West Nile Virus (WNV), Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Saint Louis Encephalitis (SLE), and Highlands J (HJ). If the blood tests reveal antibodies for any of these mosquito-borne diseases, the County promptly responds with increased surveillance, inspections, and treatment of the necessary area.
Sentinel chickens are ideal for monitoring the presence or prevalence of viruses because they are "dead-end hosts." This means that they can be infected by one of the four diseases the FDOH tests for (as well as many others) without experiencing symptoms or transmitting the illness to other animals, including humans. In fact, infected chickens are still perfectly safe for human consumption, as well as their eggs. Furthermore, because chickens live outside, they have maximum exposure to mosquitoes and their incessant biting.
Barred Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, and Golden Comet chicken breeds are preferred for the Sentinel Chicken Program, but other breeds are also used. Once a chicken is 14 to 16 weeks old, they are assigned "mosquito watch." After a chicken has served her county for a few years, she is rehomed to enjoy retirement.
Battling the buzz
The Sentinel Chicken Program is just one of the many strategies Hillsborough County uses to combat mosquitoes and the diseases they carry. Mosquito Management also uses mosquitofish, larvicides and adulticides, inspections, traps, and public events to educate the community on how to reduce mosquito populations.
Mosquito Management also encourages residents to be mindful of how they, too, can slow the spread of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases. For example, draining water in outdoor areas reduces the number of places these pesky insects can breed. Since some mosquitoes only need a tablespoon of water to lay their eggs, it's important to eliminate stagnant water and puddles around your home and yard. By reducing the number of mosquitoes, the likelihood of being bitten and infected by a virus is also reduced.
To learn more about what you can do to mitigate these blood-thirsty bugs, visit Preventing Mosquitoes. Additional information about Mosquito Control can be found online.