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Man dubbed ‘Sewer Monster' helps curb West Nile virus risk in Chicago
Дата публикации: 14-08-2026 16:15:42



Justin Harbison loves a good sewer.
The associate professor in the Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health at Loyola University Chicago has even been dubbed “The Sewer Monster,” a title he wears with pride.
“It’s just something that I’ve perhaps earned over time because that’s really kind of my happy place, looking in sewers,” he said. “Specifically, looking for mosquitoes in sewers.”
We met Harbison near Willow Park in Des Plaines Friday, along with Patrick Irwin from the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District. Together, they spend a lot of time underground.
“Anywhere from 40 to 50 hours in the summer,” Harbison said.
The work they’re doing helps keep Illinoisans safe by curbing the threat of West Nile virus, the primary disease of concern for mosquitoes in this area.
The standing water in the storm sewers is a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, where Harbison targets them at the source. Willow Park is one of four mosquito abatement areas Harbison works at in the Chicago suburbs. In the last few years, they’ve been using a specific larvicide to target them.
“And one of the benefits of getting them when they’re in that water, that larval stage, is that we’re getting to them before they start biting,” Harbison said.
In a similar project in Milwaukee, Harbison and fellow researchers found they were able to cut mosquito populations by a third using this technique, treating the mosquitoes in the storm basins.
“What we’ve seen over time is a reduction in the mosquito numbers, and what that means is a reduction in mosquitoes; that also means there’s a reduction in West Nile Virus risk,” Harbison told NBC Chicago.
So far this year in Illinois, less than 10 cases of West Nile in humans have been reported. Last year 150 human cases were reported, which led to 10 deaths, two of them in Chicago.
“We usually see the peak of human cases, depending on the weather conditions, usually in later July or right now in August when the temperatures peak,” said Samantha Kerr with the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Weather patterns have a big impact on West Nile surveillance, Kerr said.
“When we have periods of really hot temperatures early on in the year followed by heavy rains that can lead to standing water, we tend to see more mosquito activity, mosquito breeding earlier in the season which can lead to more positive mosquitoes later in the year,” she told NBC Chicago.
Harbison is not only treating larvae. He’s catching adult mosquitoes too, with a device that any kid would be jealous of. Picture a “bug zapper,” which sucks the mosquito in without hurting it.
“Bring the mosquito in through here and then we’ll bring it back and test it and see what type of blood the mosquito’s taken,” Harbison explained.
In recent years, they’re also tracking a new invasive mosquito that could potentially carry West Nile, along with other diseases. The Aedes albopictus is more commonly found on people’s properties as opposed to storm sewers.
“They can transmit West Nile virus but they can also transmit other diseases like dengue fever or yellow fever, but that’s something we’re definitely keeping an eye on,” Harbison said.
And that’s where help from the public comes in. Dumping any standing water you have on your property gives them one less place to thrive.
As for his work on West Nile risks, Harbison said the measurable decrease in the amount of mosquitos this year is reason to be optimistic.
“One of the things that’s fun about it is that you can actually see that you’re making a difference in real time,” he said.
Below are some West Nile-specific tips from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Drain standing water around your home, do not allow mosquitoes to breed.
Apply EPA-registered insect repellents containing 20% to 50% DEET (for adults) and 20% to 25% DEET (for children).
Be extra precautions or limit time outdoors during dusk and dawn
Repair torn screens and ensure that they are tight fitting without gaps.


Основное содержимое страницы с новостью.

Justin Harbison loves a good sewer.

The associate professor in the Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health at Loyola University Chicago has even been dubbed "The Sewer Monster," a title he wears with pride.

"It's just something that I've perhaps earned over time because that's really kind of my happy place, looking in sewers," he said. "Specifically, looking for mosquitoes in sewers."

We met Harbison near Willow Park in Des Plaines Friday, along with Patrick Irwin from the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District. Together, they spend a lot of time underground.

"Anywhere from 40 to 50 hours in the summer," Harbison said.

The work they're doing helps keep Illinoisans safe by curbing the threat of West Nile virus, the primary disease of concern for mosquitoes in this area.

The standing water in the storm sewers is a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, where Harbison targets them at the source. Willow Park is one of four mosquito abatement areas Harbison works at in the Chicago suburbs. In the last few years, they've been using a specific larvicide to target them.

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"And one of the benefits of getting them when they're in that water, that larval stage, is that we're getting to them before they start biting," Harbison said.

In a similar project in Milwaukee, Harbison and fellow researchers found they were able to cut mosquito populations by a third using this technique, treating the mosquitoes in the storm basins.

"What we've seen over time is a reduction in the mosquito numbers, and what that means is a reduction in mosquitoes; that also means there's a reduction in West Nile Virus risk," Harbison told NBC Chicago.

So far this year in Illinois, less than 10 cases of West Nile in humans have been reported. Last year 150 human cases were reported, which led to 10 deaths, two of them in Chicago.

"We usually see the peak of human cases, depending on the weather conditions, usually in later July or right now in August when the temperatures peak," said Samantha Kerr with the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Weather patterns have a big impact on West Nile surveillance, Kerr said.

"When we have periods of really hot temperatures early on in the year followed by heavy rains that can lead to standing water, we tend to see more mosquito activity, mosquito breeding earlier in the season which can lead to more positive mosquitoes later in the year," she told NBC Chicago.

Harbison is not only treating larvae. He's catching adult mosquitoes too, with a device that any kid would be jealous of. Picture a "bug zapper," which sucks the mosquito in without hurting it.

"Bring the mosquito in through here and then we'll bring it back and test it and see what type of blood the mosquito's taken," Harbison explained.

In recent years, they're also tracking a new invasive mosquito that could potentially carry West Nile, along with other diseases. The Aedes albopictus is more commonly found on people's properties as opposed to storm sewers.

"They can transmit West Nile virus but they can also transmit other diseases like dengue fever or yellow fever, but that's something we're definitely keeping an eye on," Harbison said.

And that's where help from the public comes in. Dumping any standing water you have on your property gives them one less place to thrive.

As for his work on West Nile risks, Harbison said the measurable decrease in the amount of mosquitos this year is reason to be optimistic.

"One of the things that's fun about it is that you can actually see that you're making a difference in real time," he said.

Below are some West Nile-specific tips from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

  • Drain standing water around your home, do not allow mosquitoes to breed.
  • Apply EPA-registered insect repellents containing 20% to 50% DEET (for adults) and 20% to 25% DEET (for children).
  • Be extra precautions or limit time outdoors during dusk and dawn
  • Repair torn screens and ensure that they are tight fitting without gaps.

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