The local area control of virus spreading is studied in the light of the path length in complex networks, and the efficiency of local area control for complex networks with different topologies is analyzed. The research suggests that local area control method is effective in the WS small world networks, the BA scare-free networks, and the ER random networks; but the optimal radii d=3 of the local control area for zero infection applies only to the WS small world networks. In the Kleinberg small world networks, when the distance bias of long-range links increases, the epidemic threshold increases, and the effect of local area control strengthens.