Just when you thought it was warm enough to venture outdoors again, health officials are warning that the number of Americans infected by mosquito, tick and flea bites has more than tripled in recent years.
Tick-borne diseases like Lyme and Rocky Mountain spotted fever have been increasing in the Northeast, Upper Midwest and California, and mosquitoes may be carrying West Nile virus and, in some parts of the United States, Zika. The only flea-borne disease is plague, but it, thankfully, is extremely rare.
There’s no magic pill or vaccine to prevent disease infections, but you can take steps to protect yourself and your family from bites — and it all starts with awareness, physicians and consumer advocates say. “Recognize that this is a problem that’s worthy of your time and attention,” said Dorothy Leland, director of communications for Lymedisease.org, a patient advocacy organization.
“This is one concern in life that’s preventable by following some simple guidelines, so it’s worth taking precautions,” said Dr. David Weber, a professor of medicine and medical director of UNC Hospitals’ departments of epidemiology and occupational health service, and a member of the hospitals’ Zika Response Working Group.
Here are measures you can take, some of which provide two-for-one protection against both ticks and mosquitoes.
“Build a protective shield around yourself,” Ms. Leland recommends. If you’re going hiking in tick country, wear long pants, long sleeves, shoes and socks, and tuck your pants into your socks to avoid any exposed skin around the ankles.
Wear a hat and a bandanna around your neck to cover up even more skin; if you have long hair, pull it back into a ponytail or braids.
Consider purchasing clothing that has been pre-treated with the insecticide permethrin, which repels both ticks and mosquitoes, though it may be less effective against ticks.
Just spraying closed shoes with permethrin can be effective, Ms. Leland suggested. “There are studies that show that just protecting your feet can do an amazing job against ticks because they tend to be low to the ground, so their entry point is that they often climb up on your shoes and keep going and get to your skin,” she said.
Mind where you’re going, and avoid areas that are especially attractive to ticks, like tall grassy fields, said Dr. Weber.
“Ticks don’t fly and they don’t jump,” Dr. Weber said. “They live on grasses, and when a human goes by, they leave the grass and attach themselves to the human.” He recommends staying in the center of a trail when walking in the woods and avoiding bushy areas and grasslands. Avoid sitting on downed logs, where ticks like to nestle, Ms. Leland said.
For more read the full of article at The Nytimes
