American Mosquito Control Association's Spring Conference, Set for May 5-7, in Washington

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. – The American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) will host its 10th Annual Spring Washington Conference, May 5-7, 2008, at the Westin Alexandria Hotel in Virginia. The scope of the AMCA Spring Washington Conference is to identify issues or concerns that can only be examined and resolved at the federal level or on a nationwide basis.

Well over one million people die from mosquito-borne diseases worldwide every year. Indeed, since 1999 nearly 28,000 cases of West Nile Virus, with over 11,000 cases of neuroinvasive disease and 1,100 fatalities have occurred in the United States, the world’s most advanced nation. Despite the casualties, however, funding for West Nile virus surveillance and control has been significantly reduced.

That’s why the world’s leading authorities on mosquitoes and entomology gather ever year at AMCA’s Annual Spring Washington Conference to discuss the nation’s initiatives on mosquito control and to encourage legislators to increase funding to battle mosquito-borne diseases.

Sessions of particular interest this year include an address by Michael Macdonald, DSc., from the U.S. Agency for International Development on the President’s Malaria Initiative, and discussions on the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Mosquito Management Policy, the Endangered Species Act, and more.

For more information about AMCA, contact: 15000 Commerce Parkway, Suite C, Mt. Laurel, N.J. 08054; phone: 856-439-9222; fax: 856-439-0525; email: amca@mosquito.org or visit the Web site at www.mosquito.org.