Disease Control

  1. West Nile Virus
  2. Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  3. Ebola
  4. Flu Vaccines & Immunizations

West Nile Virus is a disease that is spread by the bite of a mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on the blood from infected birds. The infected mosquitoes can then transmit West Nile Virus to humans and animals.  West Nile Virus disease can vary in severity. People 50 years of age and older have the highest risk of severe disease.

  • Severe West Nile (Neuroinvasive Disease)  infections can cause neurologic complications such as encephalitis.  Symptoms include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor,  disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and  paralysis.  It is estimated that approximately 1 in 150 persons infected with the West Nile Virus will develop a more severe form of disease.    
  • West Nile Fever - It is estimated that about  20% of people who become infected with West Nile Virus will develop West  Nile Fever. Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, and body  aches.  Occasionally a skin rash on the trunk of the body and swollen  lymph glands will occur.  While the illness may last only a few days, even healthy people have reported being sick for several weeks. 

Mosquito season in Dallas County typically runs from May to October,  with peak activity in August. Residents should be on heightened alert  during these months.

Helpful Links

Dallas County Health & Human Services

Texas Department of State Health Services - West Nile Virus Information

CDC - West Nile Virus Information

West Nile Virus FAQs

DCHHS West Nile Virus FAQs

 What You Can Do To Protect Yourself  

  • Get rid of old tires, tin cans, bottles, buckets, drums and other containers in your yard or keep them empty of standing water     
  • Empty wading pools frequently and store them indoors when not in use     
  • Keep in-ground pools clean and functioning     
  • Repair leaky pipes and outside faucets     
  • Replace your outdoor lights with yellow "bug" lights     
  • Change water in bird baths and scrub them twice a week     
  • If you have outside pets, empty their watering dishes daily     
  • Clean clogged roof gutters and drain flat roofs     
  • Treat standing water that cannot be drained with Bacillus Thuringiensis Israelensis (BTI), which is a larvicide available at most  home and garden stores     
  • Make sure window and door screens are "bug tight"     
  • When possible, remain indoors at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active     
  • When outdoors, wear protective clothing, or use insect repellent  with the active ingredient DEET to avoid exposure to mosquitoes. Always  read instructions before using insect repellent or other chemicals
  • Take a virtual tour of a home with potential mosquito breeding sites.

For more information on West Nile Virus or mosquito breeding habitat  reduction, please contact Sachse Environmental Health Services at  469.429.4788.  You may also contact the Dallas County Health and Human Services at 214.819.2115.