By Teresa Carr

Adams County Senior Council

Adaministrative Assistant

Battling Bites – Blocking Mosquito-Borne Diseases – As the days grow longer and warmer, summer fun beckons. Swimming, sports, and picnics go hand in hand with warmer weather. But so do bug bites. Mosquitoes in particular can ruin a day outside. And their bites aren’t just itchy and irritating. They can also spread disease.

The list of illnesses carried by mosquitoes keeps growing. Some, like malaria, are rarely seen in the United States. Others, like dengue fever, are spreading in the Southern states as temperatures get warmer. And others, like West Nile virus, now pop up seasonally in most parts of the country.

NIH-funded researchers are working to help stop the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. They’re testing ways to stop mosquitoes from biting people and keep those who are bitten from getting sick.

Blocking Disease – For decades, researchers have been trying to develop vaccines to protect people against mosquito-borne diseases. But most haven’t been as effective as hoped, explains Dr. Matthew Memoli, an infectious diseases researcher at NIH.

“When you get bitten by a mosquito, you have an allergic response to the saliva,” explains Memoli. That response causes an itchy bump to appear after a bite. This is normal, but it can interfere with your body’s ability to fight germs. “When that allergic response gets turned on, the anti-infection response gets turned down,” Memoli says.

So, Memoli’s team is testing a vaccine that helps the body’s defense system recognize mosquito saliva. They hope it can help the body prevent infections from sneaking in.

Deterring Mosquitoes – One of the best ways to avoid mosquito-borne diseases is to prevent bites in the first place. People can take certain steps to protect themselves.

“We have personal repellents, like DEET, which you can put on,” says Dr. Carolyn McBride, who studies mosquito biology at Princeton University. Tools like mosquito nets can also prevent bites. But to keep diseases from spreading, they need to be used by everyone in an area.

Preventing Mosquito Bites:

· Cover your skin. When outside, use long sleeves, pants, and socks to help block bites.

· Use insect repellents when outside. Products containing DEET, picaridin, lemon eucalyptus, IR3535, or para-menthane-dio can be sprayed directly on your skin. Follow label instructions. Products containing permethrin can be put on clothing and outdoor gear. Don’t spray permethrin directly on your skin. Find effective bug repellents from the EPA(link is external).

· Use a fan when sitting outside. Aim the air from a box fan at your legs when eating outside or gardening.

· Protect your home. Use screens on open doors and windows. Repair screens if they get holes.

· Remove breeding grounds. Drain puddles around your house where mosquitoes can lay eggs. Look for pots, buckets, pet bowls, gutters, lawn decorations, and other sites that hold water.

· Get vaccinated before you travel. Talk to your doctor before going to areas with many mosquito-borne diseases. Learn more at the CDC’s Traveler Health website.

Just A Thought: “In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four-and-twenty hours.” ~Mark Twain, 1876