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Healthwise: Sun, Fun and Fear

Forget about Great Whites terrorizing the waters of small coastal towns this summer. What about the mosquitoes and the ticks? That’s right. Those tiny pests could cause big problems. Besides their habit of crashing the family barbeque and their vampiric tendencies, these uninvited guests bring the serious ailments of Lyme disease and West Nile Virus.

The summer season means just about everyone is open prey. If you’re outside you have a target on your back. But just as ghoul-slayers arm themselves with garlic, holy water and crosses, you too can protect yourself from these bloodthirsty varmints.

The Tick of the Trade

By now we’re all probably familiar with Lyme disease, being it’s been wreaking havoc on our lives a little longer than West Nile. Lyme disease was actually named in 1977 when arthritis was observed in a cluster of children in and around the area of Lyme, Connecticut.

Today, we know that the symptoms presented in those children were caused by the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. These bacteria are transmitted to humans by the bite of infected deer ticks. These ticks are much smaller than the common dog and cattle ticks. In fact, in their larval and nymphal stages, they are usually no bigger than a pinhead. Deer ticks or black-legged ticks feed by inserting their mouths into the skin of a host and slowly take in blood. These ticks are most likely to transmit infection after feeding for two or more days.

Lyme disease is mostly found in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and upper north-central parts of the country. It has also been found in several counties in northwestern California. In 2002, 23,763 cases of Lyme disease were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of the cases reported, 95% were from Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Southerners, don’t think you’re in the clear. According to the CDC, a rash similar to that of Lyme disease has been described in humans residing in southeastern and south-central states and is associated with the bite of the lone star tick. This new ailment has been named Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI).

BAM! Right in the Bulls Eye

Lyme disease most often presents itself with a rash that looks a lot like a bulls eye. This rash can be accompanied by other common symptoms, such as fever, malaise, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and joint aches.

Sometimes individuals infected with the disease will have no recognized illness. In these cases, it’s common that the infection will go untreated. Patient will then often develop intermittent swelling and pain of one or a few joints that carry a lot of weight, such as the knees. Lyme disease is rarely, if ever, fatal and is usually treated with Antibiotics.

Get Ticked-Off This Summer

There are simple ways to prevent Lyme disease. Here are some of the things you can do this season:

• Avoid tick habitats, especially in spring and summer when nymphal ticks feed. Ticks favor moist, shaded environments where leaf-litter and low-lying vegetation is common.
• Use your own personal protection. Wear long-sleeved shirts and tuck your pants into socks or boots. Wear light colored clothing so ticks can be spotted. Also apply insect repellent containing DEET.
• Perform a tick check and remove attached ticks. Transmission from an infected tick is unlikely to occur before 36 hours of tick attachment.

You can also reduce your chances of being bitten by a tick by removing leaf litter, brush-and wood-piles around houses and at the edges of yards. Also clear trees and brush to admit more sunlight. Tick populations have also been effectively suppressed through the application of pesticides.

Same Old Mosquito, Whole New Bite

Mosquito bites used to be just a common discomfort that was a natural occurrence during of the summer months. Unfortunately, things have changed. The summer in North America now gives way to a seasonal epidemic of West Niles Virus (WNV). WNV is most often spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes are WNV carriers that become infected when they feed on infected birds. So now just being outside puts you in harms way.

The West Nile Virus can cause severe and sometimes fatal illness. There were over 4,000 cases reported in 2002, including 284 deaths. Although, all the news we hear about the virus is pretty intimidating you should remember that the chances you would become ill from one mosquito bite is low.

Only one in 150 people infected develop severe symptoms, which 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 can be permanent. Milder symptoms are experienced by about 20% of the people infected. These individuals may experience fever, head and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or skin rash. The good news — 80% of the people infected never know they have the virus. They have no symptoms at all.

If an infected mosquito has bitten you, you may feel symptoms within three to fourteen days. There is no specific treatment for the virus and most mild cases will 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 and help with breathing.

Be a Skeeter Beater This Summer

Even though the statistics aren’t quite as harsh as the media coverage has lead most of us to believe, you shouldn’t drop your guard. You should still avoid mosquito bites as best as you can. Here are some precautions you can take:

• Apply insect repellent that contains DEET.
• Wear long sleeves and long pants when you can.
• Be aware that peak mosquito hours are between dusk and dawn. Consider avoiding outdoor activities during this time.
• Drain standing water.
• Install or repair screens.

You can also help your community to stay free and clear of West Nile Virus this summer by reporting all dead birds to the local authority. Dead birds may be a sign that WNV is circulating between birds and the mosquitoes in an area. Over 130 species of birds are known to be infected by the virus, though not all birds die. You can also check with local health authorities to see if there is an organized mosquito control program in your area. If no program exists, work with local government officials to establish one. One last thing to do in the neighborhood… clean up! Mosquitoes breed anywhere and they’ll go over and through fences. If you see any standing water, find out how you can get rid of it even if it’s not on your property.

Summertime is a fun time and these little pests shouldn’t put a damper on things. Just remember to arm yourself with knowledge and of course, bug spray.

To find out more about Lyme disease, West Niles Virus and insect repellent that contains DEET, visit www.cdc.gov.