Integral Consulting has been awarded a contract to assist the Suffolk County, New York Department of Health Services and Department of Public Works in developing a comprehensive management plan to address the control of West Nile Virus (WNV) and other mosquito-borne diseases. The long-term management plan is intended to address health risks associated with disease transmission due to WNV and other mosquito-borne diseases, as well as nuisance impacts that curtail outdoor quality of life for County residents and visitors. Mosquito management techniques that are being considered for the program include direct mosquito controls (various biological and chemical larvicides and adulticides, traps, and predator augmentation) and source controls (wetlands and other habitat management).
Integral Consulting will be conducting a risk assessment to quantify the likelihood and magnitude of both adverse human health impacts and potential ecological effects associated with no-active management compared to those associated with other combinations of active management activities. The risk assessment will simultaneously consider the impacts from mosquito-borne disease, pesticide use, habitat management, and other control measures, and represents the first of its kind in the US. The results of the risk assessment will be used to assist the County in selecting a management option that maximizes the benefits to public health and the environment.