Avoid the bite, avoid the disease: Tips to avoid West Nile and similar illnesses spread by bug bites
(Gray News) - In the final days of August, summer isn’t ready to let up. This week has brought brutal heat to the Midwest and East, and there are concerns in some parts of the country about mosquito-borne illnesses.
Mosquitoes are more than just a biting nuisance. They, along with ticks, are also vectors for nasty diseases.
The West Nile virus, which was first detected in the U.S. in 1999, got off to a fast start this summer. Two deaths from the virus have been reported in Wisconsin and another in Illinois, the first deaths from the virus in those states this year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it’s received reports of 18 deaths from West Nile across the country so far this year.
West Nile the most common mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
People typically get infected following the bite of a mosquito carrying the virus.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, formerly the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, got so sick from West Nile he was hospitalized for six days.
“I really felt like I’d been hit by a truck,” he said in an interview with STAT. “I have to tell you, I’ve never been as sick in my life. Ever. By far, this is the worst I’ve ever been with an illness.”
In New England, some public health officials are warning of a high risk of eastern equine encephalitis, a rare virus with a fatality rate between 33% and 70%.
At least one death has been reported, in New Hampshire.
Tick-borne diseases are also worrying, Lyme disease in particular, which is contracted from bacteria and causes fever, headache, fatigue and a skin rash. The infection can spread to joints, the heart and the nervous system if left untreated.
Avoiding the bite
Dr. Priya Sampathkumar, professor at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and an infectious disease specialist, said the best way to avoid infections is to avoid bites.
“Wearing lighter-colored clothing seems to deter mosquitoes from biting. Things like that can also help, and then looking around in your yard making sure that there’s no standing water where mosquitoes can breed,” she said.
Here are some additional tactics to avoid mosquito and tick bites, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Wear loose-fitting, long clothing
- Use an Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent, which are safe and effective when used as directed, even for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Treat clothing and gear with 0.5% permethrin.
- Keep ticks off your dog by using insect-repellent products tailored for them. Ask your vet about the best product.
- Stay out of the deep woods, though ticks can also be found right in your own backyard.
- Check your clothing and body for ticks after being outdoors.
- The CDC also has tips for removing a tick from your body if you’re unlucky enough to find one.
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