Professor of Biology
Pace University
Pleasantville, New York
As we near September 2000, the debate rages.
The lines have been drawn.
The general perception of the population is that spraying should occur to eliminate the mosquitoes carrying west nile virus.
Many scientists and environmentalists argue that more scientific research information about Anvil and Scourge,(both pyrethroid insecticides) must be determined.
The Health Departments and many politicians maintain that a "real" epidemic is occurring and everything that is possible (but reasonable) must be done now.
To be fair, the belief that ground fogging along streets is an effective way of keeping mosquito populations in check is the primary means of mosquito control for the adult populations.
The problem is that there is no evidence that an epidemic of west nile virus is imminent.
Yes it is true that several people died in late summer early fall of 1999 in New York. However, the fact that is often ignored is that the summer of 1999 was one of the hottest on record and many of the elderly could very well have been weakened by dehydration and other problems - making them more susceptible to west nile virus illness.
Are there any statistics that also show what other illnesses also caused an increase in deaths in the same time frame in the same area?
Channel 12 News - Westchester (Sunday August 20.2000) brought together a panel of physicians, a politician, a lay person, an environmental group representative and health department representative to discuss all aspects of west nile virus EXCEPT the KNOWN SCIENCE of the actual insecticides used - sumithrin(the pyrethroid) and piperonyl butoxide (the chemical that allows the pyrethroid to actually work).
Westchester County legislators brought together a panel of scientific experts (August 18, 2000). The general discussion of this panel was that more scientific information about sumithrin and piperonyl butoxide is necessary.
The discussion of the major Romanian epidemic in 1996 was presented publically (for the first time in the New York area media.
As Dr. Bill reported in an earlier page on this issue - in 1996, 94,000 people were infected by the virus - 400 developed clinically apparent encephalitis
-and 15 people (over age of 65) died.
They did not point out that 10 west nile "epidemics" in Africa over the last 60 years have rarely produced human epidemics.
The media mania using words such as "lethal", "deadly", "epidemic" with "new west nile virus strain" - stressing the dangers rather than the reality that typically west nile virus infections are usually mild and asymptomatic.
Deaths of seven people in a population of nearly 10 million people is tragic but should not be blown out of proportion.
The aerial spraying with malathion in the summer of 1999 (in New York City) seems to have been forgotten. The same politicians and health department personnel recommended spraying the New York population with a "real" potential carcinogen in 1999 but have decided it is safer to spray with Anvil and Scourge in 2000.
Both of these pyrethroids contain piperonyl butoxide (another potential carcinogen).
The current position of the Health Department, and other governmental agencies is that the amount of the actual insecticide is so small that it cannot possibly harm a signficant number of people in the short term and worries about carcinogenicity over the long term are not supported by scientific information.
The "officials" responsible for insecticide safety have not informed the public that the "inert ingredients" of sumithrin or resmethrin (Anvil & Scourge) are "trade secrets" and knowing what they are -are not necessary for determining public safety.
The breakdown products of these insecticides are also unknown. The breakdown of these insecticides once in the house are also unknown.
The fact that insecticides are mixed with organic hydrocarbons (not soluble in water) makes the advice - wash off any vegetables with soap and water - rather silly.
Has the public been told to wash off any air conditioner filters or better - replacing them - after spraying? No - No - No.
The argument will go on and on. The public deserves the most information possible.
Why haven't the EPA, OSHA, and other govenmental agencies requested a comple list of ingredients from the manufacturers of Anvil and Scourge so that scientists can conduct the necessary research to establish safety and efficacy.
