News Briefs
January 15th, 2016
IN THIS ISSUE...

Jobs

Interested in a career in mosquito and vector control? Check out the MVCAC Job Board at www.mvcac.org

 

Have a Job or RFP to post to MVCAC.org?  

Requests to post job listings (no more than 500 words in length) should be submitted to the webmaster at kandosca@amgroup.us.

 

Do you have important news to share about your district or mosquito and vector issues?

If you would like your news to be included in the MVCAC News Briefs, please send press releases and/or links to relevant news articles to mvcac@mvcac.org
Mailing Address:
1 Capitol Mall
Suite 800
Sacramento, CA 95814
New Members-Only Area on MVCAC.org
Dear MVCAC Member,
 
We have been working behind-the-scenes to try and remedy some issues with our current MVCAC website and the members-only content areas.  Although, the site will be getting an upgraded look and feel in the coming months, we wanted to make sure that members-only content was both easy for members to access and secure.
 
If you visit MVCAC.org and hover over the new login tab, you will see two login option s:
  1. MVCAC Website Login
  2. Member Services Portal
 
The MVCAC Website Login will require you to set up a user ID to access for the first time and will grant you access to all public and member-only content in one place.
To create a login for this area:
  1. Go to mvcac.org
  2. Click the login tab on the homepage menu bar.  This will bring you to the site login page: http://www.mvcac.org/site-login/
  3.  Scroll down to the "New User Registration" section of the page and fill out the requested information
  4. Once you have registered, MVCAC staff will need to verify your membership before granting access.  Please allow 1-2 business days for staff to process your request.
  5. Once your request is approved, the email you provided will be sent a temporary password allowing you to login.
  6. Copy and paste the password provided in that email into the MVCAC Website Login screen with the username you chose.
 
The Member Services Portal is the login area you are used to, this will continue to be used to register for events and pay dues online.  This will no longer be the area to access members-only content.
 
Of course, if you have any questions about the new login process feel free to contact MVCAC staff and we will be happy to assist you.
 
Thank you,
The MVCAC Staff
84th Annual Conference Call for Posters
Submissions due February 15th!
We are re-opening the call for posters for the upcoming  84th Annual MVCAC Conference on February 28-March 2, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento!

This presentation should be related to mosquitoes or other vectors, the disease organisms they transmit, or their surveillance and control. Presentations may be of research results, the development and testing of new methods, equipment or products, education, community outreach and the adaptation or development of new technology relating to vector research, surveillance or control.

If you are interested in presenting a poster, please  click here for more information.
2016 Sentinel Chicken Order Forms Available Now!
Please click here to download the 2016 Chicken Order Form.  

Chickens are being supplied by Haley Farms in Modesto for Northern California and by Demler Egg Ranch for Southern California.  

The form due dates and chicken pick-up dates are as follows:
Southern: Please return form by April 4, 2016
Southern Region: (Demler)
Pick-up date: May 4th, 2016 (8 a.m.) in San Jacinto
 
Northern: Please return form by March 21, 2016
Northern Region: (Haley's)
Pick-up date:  April 21st, 2016 (time TBD) in Modesto

Please fax, email, or mail order forms to:
MVCAC
1 Capitol Mall, Suite 800
Sacramento, CA 95814
P: 916-440-0826  F: 916-444-7462

MVCAC 2016 Annual Conference

February 28th - March 2nd , 2016
Hyatt Regency Sacramento
1209 L Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
 
Rooms:
  • Single/Double Occupancy- $140 per night
  • Triple Occupancy- $165
  • Quadruple Occupancy- $190
  • Room Rate Cut-off: February 5, 2016

Updates to the schedule, click here

Click here for the MVCAC Conference SuperShuttle transportation discount code!

Online registration is now open!  Click the "register" button below to register today!

MVCAC 2016 Legislative Day

April 6th, 2016
Residence Inn Sacramento
1121 15th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Hotel Booking Information:
Start date: 4/5/16
End date: 4/6/16
Last day to book: 3/16/16
Group rate: $129.00 USD per night
 
More information to come, stay tuned!
CDC: Strong signs Brazil birth defects are tied to mosquito
RIO DE JANEIRO - Researchers have found the strongest evidence so far of a possible link between a mosquito-borne virus and a surge of birth defects in Brazil, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

The health agency said evidence of the dengue-like Zika virus was found in the placentas from two women who miscarried and the brains of two newborns who died. Those who were born had small heads, a rare condition known as microcephaly.

"The evidence is becoming very, very strong of the link between the two," said Dr. Lyle Petersen, director of mosquito-borne diseases at the CDC.

Backyard Chickens Harbor Greater Diversity of Ticks, Mites, and Lice than Farm-raised Chickens
Today's backyard chickens are not your grandmother's birds - they sport jaunty sweaters, go for walks on leashes, and dine on treats like "chunky chicken caviar." As keeping chickens has become more popular, the bird's status has been elevated from practical livestock to pampered pet. And though they may indulge in whimsy, the new generation of chicken keepers takes poultry husbandry seriously. They consider the nutritional needs of laying hens, carefully brood their baby chicks, and construct predator-proof (yet attractive) coops. But many backyard chicken fanciers have not considered the itchy subject of ectoparasites. Believe it or not, plucky Henrietta is probably harboring lice, mites or fleas .

Read more
The Quest to Make a Better Mosquito Repellent
Leslie Vosshall  is stalking a mosquito. We're in a small room that's full of the little blood-suckers, which are being deliberately bred and raised. Most are safely trapped behind plastic and muslin but one plucky insect has escaped, and we're stuck on this side of the room's heavy door until we can find it.

It's not easy for a human to find a mosquito that doesn't want to be found, but a mosquito can locate us quite easily. It's a human-seeking machine, sculpted by evolution to track the warmth of our bodies, the carbon dioxide in our breath, the smelly chemicals dissipating from our skin, and even our appearance. Vosshall has spent eight years deciphering how these creatures process these cues, in a bid to befuddle their senses and create a better generation of insect repellents. It's a quest that has been beset by surprises and failures, which have left her with a newfound appreciation for these annoying insects-even the one that, finally, she finds and kills.

Read more
C.D.C. May Warn Pregnant Women Against Travel to Countries With Zika Virus
Federal health officials are debating whether to warn pregnant women against travel to Brazil  and other Latin American and Caribbean  countries where mosquitoes are spreading the Zika virus, which has been linked to brain damage in newborn babies.

Officials say it could be the first time the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises pregnant women to avoid a specific region during an outbreak.

Read more