BE
MOSQUITO SMART
Tips To Preventing Mosquito-borne Diseases
There are
various diseases (West Nile, Malaria, Encephalitis, Dengue Fever, and Yellow Fever)
that are transmitted by mosquitoes. Living in Southern US, we can never truly
be mosquito-free, but we can be mosquito smart. There are simple
actions that we can take to reduce our risk of infection from one of these
mosquito-borne diseases.
PROTECT
YOURSELF
Q. Is there a human vaccine against West Nile?
A. No, but several companies are working
towards developing a vaccine.
Q. What can I do to reduce my risk of
becoming infected?
A. Anything that you do that reduces your
exposure to mosquitos will reduce your risk:
- Remove
all potential sources of stagnant water in which mosquitoes might breed.
- Stay
indoors at dawn, dusk, and in the early evening.
- Wear
long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are outdoors.
- Spray
clothing with repellents containing permethrin or DEET since mosquitoes
may bite through thin clothing.
- Apply
insect repellent sparingly to exposed skin. An effective repellent will
contain 35% DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide). DEET in high
concentrations (greater than 35%) provides no additional protection.
-
Repellents may irritate the eyes and mouth, so avoid applying repellent
to the hands of children.
Whenever you use an insecticide or insect repellent, be sure to read and
follow the manufacturer's DIRECTIONS FOR USE, as printed on the product.
- Note:
Vitamin B and "ultrasonic" devices are NOT effective in preventing
mosquito bites
PROTECT
YOUR HORSES
Q.
Are house at
risk of becoming infected with West Nile
Virus (WNV)?
A.
Horses are affected by WNV more often than other domestic
animals. Many horses infected with WNV do not develop any illness, but of
the 85 that did become ill in the 1999 or 2000 outbreak, 32 (38 percent)
died or were euthanatized. Other livestock and poultry do not commonly
show illness if infected with WNV.
Q. Is there an equine vaccine against
encephalitis?
A. In addition to the
mosquito-related prevention measures outlined below, there is now one
additional action that can be taken to help prevent illness in horses
caused by WNV infection. On August 1, 2001, a conditional license was
issued by the USDA-APHIS' Center for Veterinary Biologics for an equine
WNV vaccine. The vaccine is a killed virus product that initially has a
one-year license. Conditional licensing means that the product has been
shown to be safe, pure, and have a reasonable expectation of efficacy in
preventing illness caused by WNV. Each state veterinary authority must
also approve the use of the product in their state. Because use of this
vaccine is restricted to veterinarians, you need to contact your
veterinarian to find out more about its availability and use in your area.
If it is available for use in your area, the manufacturer of the vaccine
recommends giving two intramuscular doses of 1 milliliter each, 3 to 6
weeks apart.
Q. What can I do to reduce my horses' risk
of becoming infected?
A. Anything that you do that reduces your
horses' exposure to mosquitoes will reduce its risk:
- Remove
all potential sources of stagnant water in which mosquitoes might breed.
- Horses
should be stabled inside during peak mosquito feeding times which are
dawn and dusk.
- Use of
mosquito resistant structures such as well maintained insect screening
and fans may reduce potential access of mosquitoes to equine and other
livestock hosts.
- Insect
repellents approved for use on horses may be of some value in decreasing
exposure, however there are limitations due to limited duration of
effectiveness of some formulations under certain conditions (e.g. rain,
perspiration).
- Horse
owners are encouraged to contact their veterinarian immediately
should they notice any signs or symptoms of Encephalitis infection in
their horses, especially those exhibiting neurological signs.
PROTECT
YOUR PETS
Q. How do dogs or cats become infected with West Nile
virus?
A. The same way humans become infected—by the bite of
infectious mosquitoes.
Q. What can I do to reduce my pets' risk
of becoming infected?
A. By reducing your pets' exposure to
mosquitoes you will reduce its risk:
- Remove
all potential sources of stagnant water around your home in which
mosquitoes might breed.
- Your
pets should be kept inside during peak mosquito feeding times which are
dawn and dusk.
- You are
encouraged to contact your veterinarian if you are concerned about the
health of your pets.
PREPARE
YOUR HOME
- Remove
all potential sources of stagnant water in which mosquitoes might breed.
Mosquitoes can breed in any puddle that lasts more than four days.
- Water
buckets, water troughs, wading pools, bird baths, wheelbarrows, clogged
roof gutters, discarded tires, plastic containers or any water-holding
container should be cleaned or emptied on a weekly basis.
- Drill
holes in the bottom of containers that are left out-of-doors, turn over
wheelbarrows, aerate ornamental pools and stock them with fish or
chlorinate them.
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