With warm weather and afternoon showers come mosquitoes and ticks.
For many, the pesky bugs are just a nuisance. However, they also carry diseases that can cause sickness, paralysis and even death.
This May, the divisions of Public Health and Environmental Health are teaming up to encourage all North Carolinians to protect themselves against ticks and mosquitoes and the illnesses they can carry. This month is Tick and Mosquito Awareness Month, and it is important to know how to protect and prevent tick and mosquito bites.
Last year, North Carolina reported more than 390 cases of tick-borne diseases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has led the nation in cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted fever – a disease transmitted to people by ticks. There were also cases of Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis. Mosquitoes can transmit diseases like La Crosse virus, Eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile virus.
This is the time to take action to prevent mosquitoes and ticks from breeding in your backyards. To prevent the pests from breeding, keep grass short, remove containers that hold water and plants that attract wild animals such as deer and rodents.
It is also important to protect yourself and your family when you outside enjoying North Carolina’s warm weather. Insect repellant is useful, particularly against mosquitoes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend several repellents against mosquitoes – DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. Repellents containing permethrin provide excellent protection against ticks but may only be used on clothing. Consumers should look for products that contain the CDC-recommended ingredients, and should read and follow all label instructions.
Exposure to both mosquitoes and ticks can be limited by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks. People should also check themselves and their families for ticks when they are in tick-prone areas.
For additional information on mosquitoes and ticks, visit the following websites: www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/phpm, www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/arbovirus and www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/tick.