Fight The Bite!
Avoid
Mosquito Bites to Avoid Infection
When
dealing with West Nile virus, prevention is your best bet. Fighting
mosquito bites reduces your risk of getting this disease, along with
others that mosquitoes can carry. Take the commonsense steps below to
reduce your risk:
Something
to remember: The chance that any one person is going to become ill
from a single mosquito bite remains low. The risk of severe illness and
death is highest for people over 50 years old, although people of all
ages can become ill.
Avoid Mosquito Bites
Apply Insect Repellent
Containing DEET
(Look for:
N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) to exposed skin when you go outdoors.
Even a short
time being outdoors can be long enough to get a mosquito bite. For
details on when and how to apply repellent, see Insect
Repellent Use and Safety in our Questions and
Answers pages. See also Using Insect Repellent Safely from the EPA.
Clothing Can Help Reduce
Mosquito Bites
When possible, wear long-sleeves, long pants and socks
when outdoors. Mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing, so spraying
clothes with repellent containing permethrin or DEET will give extra
protection. Don't apply repellents containing permethrin directly to
skin. Do not spray repellent containing DEET on the skin under your
clothing.
Be Aware of Peak Mosquito
Hours
The hours from dusk to dawn are peak mosquito biting times for many
species of mosquitoes. Take extra care to use repellent and
protective clothing during evening and early morning -- or consider
avoiding outdoor activities during these times.
Drain Standing Water
Mosquitoes
lay their eggs in standing water.Limit the number of places around your
home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold water.
Need examples? Learn more on the Prevention
of West Nile Virus Question and Answer page.
Install or Repair Screens
Some
mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having
well-fitting screens on both windows and doors. Offer to help neighbors
whose screens might be in bad shape.
Report Dead Birds to Local Authorities
Dead birds may be a sign that West
Nile virus is circulating between birds and the mosquitoes in an area.
Over 130
species of birds are known to have been infected with West Nile
virus, though not all infected birds will die. It's important to
remember that birds die from many other causes besides West Nile virus.
By reporting dead birds to state and local health
departments, you can play an
important role in monitoring West Nile virus. State and local agencies
have different policies for collecting and testing birds, so check the Links
to State and Local Government Sites page to find information about
reporting dead birds in your area. Click
here for more info about reporting dead birds and dealing with bird
carcasses.
Mosquito Control Programs
Check with local health authorities to see if there is an organized
mosquito control program in your area. If no program exists, work with
your local
government officials to establish a program. The American Mosquito Control Association can provide
advice, and their book Organization for Mosquito Control is a
useful reference.
More
questions about mosquito control? A source for information about
pesticides and repellents is the National Pesticide Information Center, which also
operates a toll-free information line: 1-800-858-7378 (check their Web
site for hours).
Clean Up
Mosquito breeding sites can be anywhere. Neighborhood clean up days
can be organized by civic or youth organizations to pick up containers
from vacant lots and parks, and to encourage people to keep their yards
free of standing water. Mosquitoes don't care about fences, so it's
important to control breeding sites throughout the neighborhood.
Find out more about local prevention efforts
Find state and local West Nile virus information and contacts on
the Links
to State and Local Government Sites page.
