Although summer is rapidly coming to an end the mosquito menace is not. Maine is now entering the peak season for the discovery of the West Nile virus, a sometimes fatal disease carried by mosquitoes. Maine is the only state in the Lower 48 where a human case of the disease has not been found. However, vigilance is still in order.

To protect yourself against mosquito bites, try not to go outside at dawn and dusk when the insects are most active. If you do go outside, cover up and apply a repellent with DEET. Repellent with the chemical is not recommended for children under 2 and care should be used in applying it to children under 5. Netting with small holes can be placed over strollers to protect young children.

To reduce mosquito populations around your home, remove standing water such as in bird baths and old tires since mosquitoes breed in any untreated water. Unclog gutters so water can flow freely. To keep mosquitoes out of your home, install or repair screens on windows and doors.

West Nile, which was first found in humans in New York City in 1999, has killed nearly 600 people in the United States. Most of those infected don’t become ill, but about 20 percent suffer flu-like symptoms. In extreme cases, symptoms can progress from fever and headache to paralysis and brain damage. Those over 50 and with compromised immune systems are most at risk.

Because dead birds help officials track the progress of the disease and often provide an early warning of human cases, the Maine Bureau of Health is collecting information about such finds. Only the family of birds known as corvids, which includes blue jays, crows and ravens and where 90 percent of avian cases of West Nile have been found, is of interest.

If you find any of these birds dead, call the bureau’s hotline at 1-888-697-5846. Dead birds infected with the West Nile virus have been found in Maine during the past three summers. None have been recorded yet this year, but positive results are typically found in September.

It is a mystery why the illness has not been found in humans in Maine. Some speculate that the warm season is too short here, although West Nile has been recorded in humans in states and Canadian provinces of the same latitude. Others suggest that Maine has a different mix of mosquito species than other states. Some believe it is only a matter of time before it is found here. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided funding to answer this question.

In the meantime, a little protection and common sense is on order.