Can you outsmart insects? Your kids’ health depends on it.

Part l: An update on zapping insects.

May 1, 2018. The number of diseases caused by insects, mostly mosquitoes, has tripled in recent years, and children may be especially at risk, warns the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in a special report. No longer must you visit tropical rain forests or other faraway places to pick up Zika, West Nile, Chikungunya, dengue and other mosquito-transmitted diseases. Nowadays they may come and visit you at your home. (Your neighborhood may already be the residence of disease-causing ticks, says the CDC. We’ll discuss protection against ticks in future postings.) There are no vaccines or medications to prevent these diseases. And there are no medications to cure them.

1. Global warming is believed to be a significant factor in increasing the number of such illnesses. Mosquitoes especially wallow in warmth. A warmer environment enables them to multiply more rapidly, enlarges their habitat, and lengthens their breeding and biting seasons. Milder winters allow more of them to survive to breed and bite again next summer.

2. But insects are only the messengers, so to speak. Most bites are merely annoying. It is the microorganisms that insects can harbor that are the nemeses. Many of the mosquitoes, for example, that spread disease in the tropics already exist in North America, Europe and in other temperate climates – but are not (yet?) carrying these organisms. However, if an infected traveler from the tropics – even one without symptoms – after returning home is bitten by mosquitoes capable of carrying dengue fever virus, for example, those mosquitoes can then infect subsequent persons with dengue fever. Another route of infection is an infected mosquito hitching a ride on a plane from the tropics.

3. Ridding your neighborhood of mosquitoes is your first line of defense.Repellents are secondary. While repellents are important, applying them correctly and frequently, especially on infants and young children, is time-consuming, expensive, messy, not foolproof, and may raise health issues. (Our next posting will discuss the use of repellents on children.)

4. Know your local mosquitoes. Ask your local health department. Different species transmit specific diseases. Generally, seasonal biting begins soon after trees begin to bloom and ends with the first frost. Many species have specific times of day for peak biting activity. These vary from all day to around sunrise and sunset. Stay indoors at such times if a mosquito-borne disease alert is in effect.

5. Check that local authorities eliminate standing water in your neighborhood.Notify them about standing water in empty lots and near uninhabited houses. Generally, insecticides are sprayed to kill larvae in ponds, reflecting pools and other bodies of still water. Sometimes fish are placed in water to eat larvae.

6. Insecticides appear to be safe for infants and children. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, “The chemicals used in approved insecticides, when used correctly, do not pose unreasonable risk to public health and the environment. Insecticides do not cause asthma. Rarely they may cause mild, temporary eye irritation.” Some experts suggest you keep family members with serious respiratory issues indoors during sprayings. Health departments will supply dates and times.

7. Eliminate standing water on your property. Mosquitoes breed in poorly maintained swimming pools and in standing water on tarpaulins covering pools. Empty children’s wading pools at least once a week. Check for standing water in backyard toys, abandoned tires, flowerpots, trashcans, and even bottle caps.

8. “Bug proof” your residence.Cover gaps in walls. Use weather stripping under doors. Check bathroom exhausts. Make sure windows and chimneys are properly screened and repair any holes. Remove piles of wet leaves from yards and roof eaves. Air conditioning and fans are effective deterrents; mosquitoes prefer still air. Fans are effective on porches and terraces.

9. Be leery of devices that claim to repel mosquitoes.Products that emit vapors may be harmful if inhaled indoors over prolonged periods of time, especially by children. Outdoors, vapor effectiveness varies depending on wind direction and other factors. Sound devices worn around the neck or wrist to scare away mosquitoes are not effective. “Bug lights” are not repellents but do not attract mosquitoes as many ordinary lights do.

10. Miscellaneous. Taking vitamin B or antihistamines may reduce itching from bites, making people think they are being bitten less. Avoid scented soaps, perfumes, and hair spray; these may attract biting insects. Do mosquitoes prefer biting infants? (Maybe they taste sweeter?) In fact, no one knows if infants are bitten more often. If so, it may be because infants are unable to swat them away. Place nets over strollers and playpens outdoors.

For the latest information, see https://www.cdc.gov/zika/prevention/controlling-mosquitoes-at-home.html

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