Mosquito Season and the Illnesses it Could Bring

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Mosquito Season and the Illnesses it Could Bring

• Mosquito Bite Prevention
• La Crosse Encephalitis
• West Nile Virus
• Prepared by
• Mason County Health Department

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Lets Talk About Mosquitoes

• Mosquitoe bites can cause illnesses such as
  LaCrosse Encephalitis and West Nile Virus.
• The key to the prevention of these two diseases
  is prevention of mosquitoes and bites by infected
  mosquitoes.

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How does a Mosquito Grow?

• Mosquitoes lay eggs in areas that harbor water.
• These areas could occur naturally such as with
  low lying areas in the ground or could be man
  made such as with flower pots, old tires and
  gutters that dont drain properly.

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Photograph used with the permission of Dr. James
Joy, Department of Biology, Marshall University.
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Tree-holes and Oc.triseriatus larvae
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Prevention of Breeding Grounds for Mosquitoes

• Empty standing water in old tires, cemetery urns,
  buckets, plastic covers, toys or any other
  container where mosquitoes may breed.
• Empty and change the water in bird baths,
  fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and potted
  plant trays at least once a week if not more
  often.

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Make sure you empty buckets and other containers
that could contain water
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Prevention continued

• Drain or fill temporary pools with dirt.
• Keep swimming pools treated and circulating.
• Keep rain gutters clean and in good repair.
• Use head nets, long sleeves, and long pants if
  you venture into areas with high mosquito
  populations.
• Make sure window and door screens are bug tight.

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Mosquitoes

• The female lays its eggs on the water.
• If the water is stagnant, it does not interrupt
  the hatching process and the larvae of the
  mosquito continues to grow.

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Culex Mosquito laying eggs
Egg raft
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Siphon
Culextype Mosquito Larvae wigglers
(Aedes, Culex, Ochlerotatus and Psorophora)
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Anopheles
No siphon
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Mosquito Pupae tumblers
trumpets
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Adult emergence
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Mosquito Bites

• The mosquito is attracted by carbon dioxide that
  is emitted as we breathe as well as other scents.

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Female Mosquito (Cx. quinquefasciatus) Blood
Feeding on a finger
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Preventionof Mosquito Bites

• Wear long sleeves and long pants when working in
  the yard, particularly in areas that you know
  have a lot of mosquitoes.
• Many of the mosquitoes that carry the West Nile
  Virus are more visible around dusk and dawn.
  Avoid these times to be outside.
• Use of mosquito repellent.
• Use mosquito netting over infant carriers.

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Use of Mosquito Repellents
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Mosquito Repellents Contain DEET

• Is DEET safe?
• How often should it be reapplied?
• How does it work?
• Why does CDC recommend using DEET?
• General considerations in using DEET.
• DEET and children.
• DEET and sunscreen.

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Is DEET Safe?

• CDC states that products containing DEET are very
  safe when used according to the directions. The
  regulation of DEET is determined by the US
  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• Laboratory testing regarding both short-term and
  long-term health effects have been carried out.
• Over the long history of DEET use, very few
  confirmed incidents or reactions to DEET have
  occurred when the product is used properly.

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When and how often should I apply DEET?

• Apply repellents when you are going to be
  outdoors and at risk for mosquito bites.
• Follow the directions on the product for
  reapplication. Sweating, perspiration, or
  getting wet may mean you need to re-apply more
  frequently. Repellents containing a higher
  concentration of DEET provide longer lasting
  protection.

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How does the repellent work?

• Female mosquitoes bite people and animals because
  they need the protein in the blood to help
  develop their eggs.
• Mosquitoes are attracted to people by skin odors
  and carbon dioxide from breath.
• DEET repels the mosquito, making the person
  unattractive for feeding.
• Repellents are effective only at short distances
  from the treated area, you may still see the
  mosquito flying, but you wont get bitten.

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Why does the CDC recommend using DEET?

• DEET is the most effective and best-studied
  insect repellent available.
• Studies using humans and mosquitoes report that
  among those tested, products containing DEET
  offer long-lasting protection after a single
  application.

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General Consideration in using DEET

• Always follow the recommendations appearing on
  the product label.
• Use enough repellent to cover exposed skin or
  clothing. Dont apply repellent to skin that is
  under clothing. Heavy application is not
  necessary.
• Do not apply repellents to cuts, wounds, or
  irritated skin.
• After returning indoors, wash treated skin with
  soap and water.

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More general considerations

• Do not spray aerosol or pump products in enclosed
  areas.
• Do not apply aerosol or pump products directly to
  your face. Spray on your hands and then rub them
  carefully over the face, avoiding eyes and
  mouths. (Not to be used on childrens faces.)

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DEET and Children

• No definitive studies exist in the literature as
  to what concentration of DEET is safe for
  children.
• No serious illnesses have been linked to the use
  of DEET when used according to the product
  recommendations.

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DEET and Children

• The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently
  updated their recommendation for use of DEET
  products on children.
• Insect repellents containing DEET with a
  concentration of 10 appear to be as safe as
  products with a concentration of 30 when used
  according to the directions on the product
  labels.

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DEET and Children

• The American Academy of Pediatrics and other
  experts suggest using repellent with low
  concentrations of DEET on infants over 2 months
  old.
• Other guidelines suggest using repellents
  containing DEET after children are 2 years of
  age.
• Check with your pediatrician.

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Application of DEET with Children

• Always follow the product recommendations.
• Apply to your hands and then rub them on your
  child. Do not spray directly on the child.
• Avoid childrens eyes and mouth and use sparingly
  around their ears.
• Do not apply to childrens hands. They may put
  their hands in their mouth.
• Keep out of reach of children.
• Do not allow children to self apply.

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Risks of Using DEET

• Use of these products may cause skin reactions in
  rare cases.
• If you suspect a reaction to this product,
  discontinue use, wash the treated skin, and call
  your local poison control center.
• 1-800-222-1222

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DEET with Pregnant or Nursing Women

• There are no reported adverse events following
  use of repellents containing DEET in pregnant and
  breastfeeding women.

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What about DEET and Sunscreens?

• You can use both products at the same time.
• Follow the directions for each product.
• Apply the sunscreen first, followed by the
  repellent containing DEET.
• CDC does not recommend using a combination
  product because DEET does not need to be
  reapplied as often as sunscreen.

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Non-DEET Repellents

• Some non-DEET repellent products which are
  intended to be applied directly to the skin may
  also provide limited protection from mosquito
  bites.
• However, because studies suggest that other
  products do not offer the same level of
  protection, or that protection does not last as
  long as the protection provided by products
  containing DEET, you should use DEET if possible.

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Illnesses caused by Mosquito Bites

• La Crosse Encephalitis
• West Nile Virus

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Comparison to La Crosse Encephalitis and West
Nile Virus

• La Crosse
• Spread only by the treehole mosquito.
• Children under age 16 are most at risk but can
  occur at any age

• West Nile Virus
• Spread by infected mosquitoes.
• People over age 50 are most at risk.
• Anyone who does protect against mosquito bites.

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What are the symptoms?

• Most people who get La Crosse Encephalitis or
  West Nile Virus never have symptoms.

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Most Common Symptoms

• La Crosse
• Headache
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Drowsiness
• Confusion

• West Nile Virus
• Headache
• Fever
• Body aches

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More Serious Symptoms

• La Crosse
• Seizures
• May go into a coma
• Rarely fatal but may have headaches, seizures or
  other problems after they get well.

• West Nile Virus
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Headache
• Weakness
• Nausea-Vomiting
• Stiff neck
• Abdominal pain

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How it is NOT Spread

• Both La Crosse Encephalitis and West Nile Virus
  are spread by mosquito bites.
• Neither one is spread from person to person

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Summer Time is Fun Time!

• The Mason County Health Department
• wishes you a safe and fun summer time!