Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert, developed West Nile Virus after being bitten by a mosquito while sitting in the backyard of his Washington D.C. home. In Vermont, where temps are already in the 40s at night, we have multiple areas of the state that are at risk of “triple E,” Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
While mosquitos are a nuisance, and most bites just make you itch, some can carry a virus or parasite that can cause serious illness. Mosquitoes are blood suckers and what they pick up from person, or animal, they can pass on to their next “feed.”
Climate change has led to the spread of mosquito borne illness and has also extended mosquito season. Diseases they can carry include:
• West Nile Virus: The most common mosquito borne illness, only one in five people develop symptoms. These can include fever, headache, body aches and vomiting.
• Eastern Equine Encephalitis: While many don’t experience symptoms, those that do have chills, joint pain, fever and body aches. About a third of those who become ill from triple E die from their illness. Most at risk are those under 15 and over 50 years of age. Symptoms occur 4-10 days after being bitten.
• Malaria: While thought to be eliminated in the US, cases were found in Texas and Florida in 2023. There are treatments for malaria, with vaccines available in certain parts of the world
• Dengue: Occurs mostly in tropical and subtropical climates, however, limited local spread of dengue has been reported in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, and Texas.
If you’ve been bitten by a mosquito and start developing symptoms, see your medical provider.
While people at any age can develop severe illness, those most at risk include young children, older adults and those with pre-existing conditions such as cancer, diabetes, compromised immune system etc.
Below are ways to keep the “vampires” at bay-no garlic involved
• Avoiding exposure is the best way to reduce risk. They tend to be out and about from dusk to dawn (vampire hours) so stay indoors. However, mosquitos are around during the day.
• If you are venturing out, wear loose fitting long sleeve shirts and pants and use EPA-registered insect repellents with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)—A plant-derived ingredient, Para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone—A plant-derived ingredient. If you are using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second. Consider a mosquito net to cover your head. You can also treat your clothing with Permethrin.
• Reduce the mosquitos where you live by eliminating areas of standing water inside and out. Don’t let the water become stagnant. Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpot saucers, or trash containers.
• Use screens on windows and doors. Repair holes in screens to keep mosquitoes outdoors. Use air conditioning, if available.
Learn more about mosquitos by checking with your local health department and check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website on this topic.
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