Fight The Bite! Avoid Mosquito Bites to Avoid Infection
When dealing with West Nile virus, prevention is your best bet. fighting mosquito bites reduces your risk of getting this disease, along with others that mosquitoes can carry. Take the common sense steps below to reduce your risk.
Clothing and repellent can help reduce mosquito bites
Insect repellents and protective clothing can help reduce exposure to mosquito bites that may carry viruses such as West Nile virus. When possible, wear long-sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors. Mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing, so spraying clothes with an insect repellent will give extra protection.
Research reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that repellents containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) or picaridin (KBR 3023) typically provide longer-lasting protection than the other products, and oil of lemon eucalyptus (p-menthane-3,8-diol) provides longer lasting protection than other plant-based repellents. In general, the more active ingredient (higher concentration) a repellent contains, the longer time it protects against mosquito bites.
Use of repellents products may cause skin reactions in rare cases. Most products also note that eye irritation can occur if product gets in the eye. If you suspect a reaction to a product, discontinue use, wash the treated skin, and call a poison control center. If product gets in the eyes, flush with water and consult your health care provider or poison control center. If you go to a doctor, take the product with you. Follow these guidelines when using a repellent:
- Always follow the recommendations appearing on the product label.
- Use enough repellent to cover exposed skin or clothing. Don’t apply repellent to skin that is under clothing. Heavy application is not necessary to achieve protection.
- In general you should re-apply repellent if you are being bitten by mosquitoes. Sweating, perspiration, or getting wet may mean that you need to re-apply repellent more frequently.
- Do not apply repellent to cuts, wounds, or irritated skin.
- After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water.
- Do not spray aerosol or pump products in enclosed areas.
- Do not spray aerosol or pump products directly to your face. Spray your hands and then rub them carefully over the face, avoiding eyes and mouth.
- Do not apply repellents containing permethrin directly to skin.
Be aware of peak mosquito hours
The hours from dusk to dawn are peak mosquito biting times for many species of mosquitoes. Take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing during evening and early morning—or consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times.
Mosquito-proof your home
Drain standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold water. In this way, you reduce the number of places mosquitoes can lay their eggs and breed. For example:
- At least once or twice a week, empty water from flower pots, pet food and water dishes, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels, and cans.
- Check for clogged rain gutters and clean them out.
- Remove discarded tires, and other items that could collect water.
- Be sure to check for containers or trash in places that may be hard to see, such as under bushes or under your home.
Install and repair screens. Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having well-fitting screens on both windows and doors. Offer to help neighbors whose screens might be in bad shape.
Help Your Community
Report dead birds to local authorities. Dead birds may be a sign that West Nile virus is circulating between birds and the mosquitoes in an area.
Clean up. Mosquito breeding sites can be anywhere. Neighborhood clean up days can be organized by civic or youth organizations to pick up containers from vacant lots and parks, and to encourage people to keep their yards free of standing water. Mosquitoes don’t care about fences, so it’s important to control breeding sites throughout the neighborhood.
Find out more about local prevention efforts. Find state and local West Nile virus information and contacts on the Links to State and Local Government Sites (www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/city_states.htm) page on the CDC web site.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/prevention_info.htm. Accessed July 18, 2005.
West Nile Virus: What You Need To Know
West Nile virus (WNV) is a potentially serious illness. Experts believe WNV is established as a seasonal epidemic in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall.
Approximately 80% of people who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all. Up to 20% of the people who become infected will display mild symptoms, including fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach, and back. Symptoms typically last a few days. About one in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness. The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness, and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent.
Generally, WNV is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes are WNV carriers that become infected when they feed on infected birds. Infected mosquitoes can then spread WNV to humans and other animals when they bite.
In a very small number of cases, WNV also has spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants, breastfeeding, and even during pregnancy from mother to baby. WNV is not spread through casual contact such as touching or kissing a person with the virus.
People typically develop symptoms 3-14 days after they are bitten by the infected mosquito. There is no specific treatment for WNV infection. In mild cases, people experience symptoms such as fever and aches that pass on their own. In more severe cases, people usually need to go to the hospital where they can receive supportive treatment including intravenous fluids, help with breathing, and nursing care. Pregnant women and nursing mothers are encouraged to talk to their doctor if they develop symptoms that could be WNV.
For most, risk of getting WNV is low. Less than 1% of people who are bitten by mosquitoes develop any symptoms of the disease and relatively few mosquitoes actually carry WNV.
People who spend a lot of time outdoors are more likely to be bitten by an infected mosquito. They should take special care to avoid mosquito bites.
People older than age 50 are more likely to develop serious symptoms of WNV if they do get sick and should take special care to avoid mosquito bites.
The risk of getting WNV through blood transfusions and organ transplants is very small, and should not prevent people who need surgery from having it. If you have concerns, talk to your doctor before surgery.
Pregnancy and nursing do not increase risk of becoming infected with WNV.
Fight the bite! Avoid mosquito bites to avoid infection. Altern Med Alert 2005;8(8):S1-S2.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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