Minimizing Mosquito Misery

Minimizing Mosquito Misery- The best way to protect yourself and your family
Dr. Jill Chasse

It’s the season for bumps, bruises, burns and especially bites. Those little buggers like to come out with a vengeance when the weather is warm and skin exposed. But what’s the big deal? Some itchy bumps and buzzing in your face, but light a citronella candle and you’re cool right? Not so fast. One bite from an infected mosquito can send you to the hospital, or the morgue. They may be tiny but they are mighty.

Did you know that the mosquito is the world’s deadliest animal? Over 700,000 people die every year due to diseases they spread. You may not hear a lot about the diseases they spread in the United States, but it’s not just yellow fever in Brazil and malaria in Ghana. New Jersey is now facing one of the largest growing public health threats from mosquito-borne diseases. Warmer weather allows for better breeding of Aedes mosquitoes that carry zika, chikungunya and dengue, three vectorborne diseases that can cause fever, rash, and joint pain. The symptoms can range from mild to severe, but can be life threatening. These striped mosquitoes used to be rare in the tristate area but have been steadily increasing. Even the Culex, which is more common in this area, has the deadly potential for spreading West Nile virus. WNV also causes flu-like symptoms and sometimes a rash. In severe cases there can be swelling of the brain.

So what do you do to best protect yourself and your family? There are so many options out there. How do you really know what’s the best, safest, and most effective?

Well first, make sure your yard is not a mosquito haven. Dump all standing water. Drain all gutters and toys that collect water. Dispose of tires or containers that might collect rainwater. Turn over rafts, kayaks or pool toys. Check trash cans for water and flip over any lids.

You can go ahead and put up area control devices such as hanging repellents, coils, or buzzer light attractants. Reducing the risk is important, especially if you spend a lot of time outside.
Even planting some citronella plants or lighting candles is fine, just don’t think it will keep you entirely safe from getting bitten.

When you are outside, wear an EPA registered repellent such as Picaridin, DEET, or IR3535. If you want to go more natural, you can get 2-undecanone, derived from plants, or Oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD). This is not lemongrass or Eucalyptus oil. PMD has been tested for safety and effectiveness, as well as the other registered repellents, although it’s not recommended under age 3. The others are safe over 2 months of age. They’re not going to harm your kids or kill your dog. Extensive safety trials have proven the registered repellents safe and effective, even for babies and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Don’t take a chance with untested, unregulated products. Remember, these buzzing nightmares are not just a nuisance, they are killers.

National Mosquito Control Awareness Week is June 23-29, 2019.
Be aware and fight the bite!!
www.mosquito.org

Dr. Jill Chasse, Hygeia Public Health (c) 2019 - www.magicofmotherhood.com

References:

Bissinger, B.W., C.S. Apperson, D.W. Watson, C. Arellano, D.E. Sonenshine, and R.M. Roe. 2011. Novel field assays and the comparative repellency of BioUD, DEET, and permethrin against Amblyomma americanum. External Med. Vet. Entomol. 25:217-226

Cloyd RA. Natural indeed: are natural insecticides safer better than conventional insecticides? Illinois Pesticide Review. 2004;17

Edillo F, Kiszewski A, Manjourides J, Pagano M, Hutchinson M, Kyle A, et al. 2009. Effects of latitude and longitude on the population structure of Culex pipiens s.l., vectors on West Nile virus in North America. Am J Trop Med Hyg 81:842-848

Strid, A.; Hanson, W.; Cross, A.; Bond, C.; Jenkins, J. 2018. Insect Repellents Fact Sheet; National Pesticide Information Center, Oregon State University Extension Services.