With Memorial Day serving as the unofficial start of summer, health officials in the United States are reminding the public to take great caution and avoid mosquito and tick bites this weekend.
Facts About Mosquitoes And Ticks
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) advise residents that there are two diseases that mosquitoes transmit in the state, in particular: the West Nile and the Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
Dr. Eden Wells, chief medical executive for the MDHHS, says it is important to remember that even a single bite from a mosquito could have serious consequences.
Mosquitoes are tiny, but they can be deadly. For instance, the Aedes Aegypti mosquito is a carrier of multiple infections such as dengue, malaria, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika virus.
Another mosquito-borne virus is the West Nile virus, which is transmitted by the Culex pipiens and culex tarsalis. Both mosquitoes are present in Colorado.
Dengue affects as many as 400 million people yearly, but scientists have developed vaccines to fight the infection. It rarely occurs in the U.S. but is endemic in Puerto Rico.
West Nile virus can cause death and neurological disease. However, almost 80 percent of people infected with it do not display symptoms.
Jennifer Eisner, spokesperson for MDHHS, says West Nile is more common in the state and they have been seeing cases since 2001.
In 2015, there were 2,060 cases of West Nile virus in the U.S. and 119 deaths were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of these numbers, 18 cases and two deaths were recorded in Michigan.
Meanwhile, Zika virus, which triggered an outbreak of microcephaly in Brazil, has reached the U.S. It can cause rash, fever, red eyes, joint pain and muscle aches. Currently, it has no specific treatment or vaccine available.
On the other hand, tick bites can be dangerous. Some ticks can cause Lyme disease, which results in a rash that is neither painful nor itchy; fever; headache and lethargy.
Worst case scenarios include losing the ability to move one or both sides of the face, and having a stiff neck and severe headache and heart palpitations.
How To Avoid Mosquito And Tick Bites
1. One of the most common ways of preventing mosquito bites is by wearing insect repellent when outdoors. Products that are EPA-labeled, which contain ingredients such as Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or DEET are best recommended.
2. When eating outdoors, use fans or nets to keep the insects away.
3. Apply repellent first on your hands and rub it on your children, but never apply it directly.
4. Turn your home mosquito-free by installing or fixing door and window screens. Eliminate or cover empty containers with stagnant water.
5. To prevent the spread of the West Nile virus, report dead birds to officials immediately.
6. Avoid tick-infested areas, but if you live in one, avoid contact with overgrown grass, bushes and foliage.
7. Treat your clothes, especially your socks, shoes and pants, with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact. You can also buy clothes that are pre-treated.
8. Permethrin can also be used on camping gear and tents. However, do not apply permethrin directly on your skin.
9. Always perform daily tick checks after being outside. Check your pets and your own yard.
Summertime is fun, but don't forget to take care of your health.
Photo : Paul Clark | Flickr
