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Mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus appear to be circulating in Pinellas County, mosquito control officials said Thursday.
Three sentinel chickens have tested positive for West Nile. Another has tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis.
The county keeps several flocks of the chickens to determine whether infected mosquitoes are present.
People should take precautions to avoid being bitten, county officials said.
Those include staying inside between dusk and dawn, using insect repellents containing DEET and wearing long pants and long sleeves. People also should drain standing water from pots, birdbaths and other containers where mosquitoes could lay eggs.
Most people infected with West Nile don't become ill. But some develop flulike symptoms, and a few develop more serious conditions, including brain damage and die.