Justin Harbison, a faculty member at Loyola University Chicago’s Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health, spent Friday afternoon inspecting city sewers in the Willow Park area of Des Plaines, Illinois. His work aims to locate and remove mosquito larvae that could develop into adult insects capable of spreading West Nile virus.
The effort focuses on underground storm drains, a known breeding ground for the mosquito species that transmit the virus. By entering the sewer system and examining water collections for larvae, Harbison hopes to intervene early, reducing the number of adult mosquitoes that might later bite humans.
West Nile virus, transmitted through mosquito bites, remains a public‑health concern in the Chicago metropolitan region. Researchers have observed that storm‑drain habitats can sustain mosquito populations even when surface water is scarce. Monitoring these hidden environments therefore forms a key part of disease‑prevention strategies.
Harbison’s inspection in Willow Park reflects a broader push by public‑health scientists to track mosquito development in urban infrastructure. By targeting larvae before they mature, the initiative seeks to curb the spread of West Nile virus across the area and protect residents from potential infection.