Summer's sun-splashed days may entice families outdoors to enjoy a backyard barbecue -- but they also can lure a host of hungry bugs ready to take a bite out of human health.
August officially begins the peak season for illness-bearing pests, from ticks that transmit Lyme and even more dangerous diseases, to mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus, the American Academy of Dermatology cautions.
Some 82 species of ticks spread nine major maladies, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, reports the American College of Emergency Physicians. Deer ticks transport Lyme disease in the Northeast, from Maryland to Maine; the North Central states, primarily in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and on the West Coast, particularly Northern California.
Most of the ailments produce symptoms similar to flu, such as high fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting and loss of appetite.
To avert tick danger, the Department of Veterans Affairs recommends wearing light-colored attire that shows up any shady characters; tucking pant bottoms into sock tops to keep the aggressive arachnid from jumping under the clothing, and examining your child and yourself head to toe after an outing.
If you find a blood-thirsty stowaway, remove it with fine tweezers, grasping as close to the skin surface as possible, pulling firmly but gently and avoiding jerking or twisting or puncturing its body, which may contain disease-tainted fluids. Swab the wound with alcohol, call the doctor and preserve the perpetrator in alcohol for identification.
In most cases, mosquitoes are benign, but an allergic reaction can turn a bite from annoying to alarming, said Dr. F. Estelle Simons of the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.
In contrast to the usual small, itchy, short-lived bump, an allergic response to mosquito-injected saliva may include large red swelling, skin blisters, bruises or hives that last for a week or more. In severe cases, numerous body systems may be affected.
Anyone suffering an allergic reaction should seek immediate medical attention, advises Dr. Richard deShazo of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, chair of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology's Insect Hypersensitivity Committee.
"Most people are not allergic to insect bites, but need to be able to recognize the difference between an allergic reaction and a normal or large local reaction," deShazo said. "People who know they are allergic should never be without an emergency kit containing epinephrine (adrenaline)."
Symptoms that warrant a visit to the ER include: hives, itchiness, swelling of the tongue and other areas apart from the bite site, difficulty breathing, dizziness and hoarse voice. A severe reaction, called anaphylaxis, can result in unconsciousness and even cardiac arrest.
"In the western and southwestern United States, Triatoma (or 'kissing bug') bites appear to be an important cause of anaphylaxis," said Dr. John Moffitt of the Jackson center. "Since their bite is usually painless and inflicted during sleep, the victim may not be aware of the bite, and resulting allergic reactions may not be diagnosed or mistakenly attributed to other causes."
Moffitt suggested such countermeasures as: using pesticides approved for the indoors; sealing entry points around the home to keep the bugs out; examining blankets and sheets for any unwanted bed partners; removing papers, clothing and other clutter that could serve as a hiding place, and wearing pajamas with long legs and sleeves.
To prevent garden-variety summertime bites, Dirk Elston, a dermatologist with Pennsylvania's Geisinger Health System, which includes the nation's first rural children's hospital and a pediatric trauma center, advises:
--Wear long-sleeved tops and pants when venturing outside.
--Stay indoors at dawn and dusk, the happy hours for biting bugs.
--Removing standing water in yards, clean clogged gutters and stamp out other bug breeding grounds.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta suggests also emptying water from flower pots, pet food and water dishes, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels and cans at least once or twice a week. In addition:
--Install or repair window and door screens.
--Avoid scented products that may attract nasty pests.
--Spray clothing to be worn outdoors with insect repellent containing either the insecticide permethrin or the chemical repellent DEET, paying careful attention to label instructions.
In addition to DEET, the CDC has added picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus to its list of mosquito-besting active ingredients. Insect repellent should be applied sparingly to exposed skin. Choose a repellent that provides protection for the amount of time you will be outside, and keep in mind the higher the DEET concentration, the longer the protection -- up to 50 percent. A higher percentage offers no extra advantage.
Because repellents may irritate eyes and mouth, avoid applying them to children's hands.
Place mosquito netting over infant carriers when taking the baby outside.
These are some of the things you can do to keep pests from bugging the health out of you.
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