The Defense Logistics Agency collaborates with the U.S. Army to collect mosquito samples on a DLA base located in Columbus, Ohio as part of Zika virus testing efforts.
DLA said Tuesday the Department of Defense ordered its components to monitor, test and control mosquitoes at military installations.
“I’ll be placing traps around the installation including plastics cups to collect eggs and also larger, BG-Sentinel traps to gather adult specimens,” said Brad Sparks, a pest controller at DLA’s land and maritime unit.
“Each week I’ll collect the samples and send them to a test facility to determine what species of mosquito are present on the installation, as well as if any of them test positive for the Zika virus,” Sparks added.
Zika, the mosquito-borne virus first detected in South American countries, can cause mild fever-like symptoms and is linked to birth defects such as microcephaly, according to DLA.
DoD allocated $1.76 million in additional funds to support global Zika surveillance campaigns and study the potential threats the virus poses to U.S. service members worldwide.
