Disease Surveillance
Leon County Mosquito Control monitors for EEE, WNV and SLE through the use of chicken surveillance flocks. Sentinel flocks, containing six chickens each in three cages, are placed at several locations throughout the county. Blood samples are taken weekly between the months of May and December. The blood samples are processed and sent to the state laboratory in Tampa for analysis. The results are returned to our office and used to plan public notification and/or control strategies as needed.
Below are documents that outline the State of Florida's surveillance and control strategies for arthropod-borne diseases, including EEE, WNV, SLE and others.
Surveillance and Control of Selected Arthropod-borne Diseases in Florida
Florida ArboVirus Response Plan