Foreclosure crisis breeds new threat
By Gregg MacDonald
The phrase “bloodsucker” is being bandied about in some conversations about the foreclosure crisis in Fairfax County, but not in the way that one might suspect.According to the Fairfax-based National Pest Management Association, an unexpected consequence of the rising number of foreclosures in Fairfax County is the number of unoccupied, unkempt properties and their potential for breeding mosquito populations that could heighten the risk of West Nile virus cases this summer.
According to the association, vacant homes from foreclosures are often neglected and can fall into disrepair. As properties with backyard swimming pools, birdbaths and overflowing gutters are left unchecked, neighborhoods may begin to see an increase in mosquitoes as temperatures continue to rise.
“Mosquitoes have long been considered a nuisance pest, but they do pose a major health threat to the public,” said Cindy Mannes, vice president of public affairs for NPMA.
“As foreclosure rates and temperatures both continue to rise, there is increased potential for mosquito breeding grounds to develop and go untreated in and around vacant homes. Homeowners must be vigilant of pest problems on their own properties but also on the vacant properties near them."
According to RealtyTrac – an online Realtor database that tracks foreclosed properties across the country, there are currently more than 5,600 properties in the foreclosure process in Fairfax County.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson estimates that nationally, one in four of the 2 million subprime loans expected to reset by the end of 2008 will end in foreclosure.
Up to 3,400 homes in Fairfax County will enter foreclosure this year alone, according to a national study released in November by the Center For Responsible Lending, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group.
“Any yard that is unattended and has any container that can hold water – even a plastic tarp or a black corrugated plastic drainpipe – is an excellent breeding ground for the Asian tiger mosquito,” said Jorge R. Arias, supervisor of the Fairfax County Health Department's Disease Carrying Insects Program.
“The Asian tiger mosquitoes are our No. 1 nuisance mosquito. Ninety-five percent of complaints that we receive are about these mosquitoes. The other 5 percent of complaints are about someone's yard next door that is unkempt and is breeding mosquitoes.”
West Nile virus is a virus that is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito, usually a Culex mosquito, which breeds in many of the same sites as the Asian tiger mosquito.
The virus was first detected in Fairfax County in 2000 when a single crow was found to be infected. In 2001, more birds were found infected and in 2002 the virus was found infecting birds, horses, mosquitoes and humans.
There were 13 human cases of West Nile virus with one fatality in Fairfax County in 2002, three human cases with no fatalities in 2003, and a single case, which was fatal, in 2004. Arias said there were two human cases last year. Generally, human cases do not become evident until around June each year.
Arias also points out that vacant and neglected homes can breed other disease-carrying pests as well.
“Unattended long grass is a perfect habitat for ticks that might spread Lyme disease,” he said. “Any abandoned or unattended home or yard is a possible threat for breeding mosquitoes and breeding ticks.”
The county recently sent out a green brochure to all its residents titled, “Protecting Yourself from Disease Carrying Insects.”
“People need to read it and get the word out because there are only four people in my program, so the odds are that we are not going to be able to personally get out to everybody who reports a problem,” Arias said.