June Vector-Borne month

  Gov. Beverly Perdue has proclaimed June to be Vector-Borne Disease Awareness Month in North Carolina to highlight the importance of taking preventative measures against ticks and mosquitoes and the diseases they carry.

  “With the numerous opportunities we have in Dare County to engage in outdoor activities, we also have the increased potential for exposure to disease-carrying vectors such as ticks and mosquitoes,“ said Anne Thomas, Dare County health director. Thomas recommends that residents and visitors take preventative measures to protect themselves, their homes and gardens and stresses the importance of repellent use.

  “Pets like ticks and mosquitoes are more than nuisances; they also carry diseases that can make people seriously ill. It is important for people to know the measures they can take to prevent tick and mosquito bites,“ added Barbara Maher, Dare County Department of Public Health communicable disease nurse. Maher added that insect repellent is useful to deflect mosquitoes and ticks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends several repellents against mosquitoes – DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. According to the CDC, oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under the age of three. Repellents containing permethrin provide excellent protection against ticks but may only be used on clothing, not on the skin. Consumers should look for products that contain the CDC-recommended ingredients and should read and follow all label instructions.

  Exposure to both mosquitoes and ticks also can be limited by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pangs and socks. People  should also check themselves and their families for ticks when they are in tick-prone areas. Limiting outdoor activity during dawn and dusk when mosquito activity is high is also recommended.

  Mosquito-borne illnesses can be a concern in North Carolina. Mosquitoes are capable of carrying a number of anthropod-borne viruses. The two mosquito-borne viruses that are of concern in Dare County are eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV). Although there is no human vaccine against either EEE or WNV, there is an equine vaccine available for both. La Crosse virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness but is found mostly in western North Carolina.

  For additional information on mosquities and ticks, visit these public health web sites: www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/phpm, www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/arbovirus and www.epi.state.nc.use/epi/tickor contact Barbara Maher at the Dare County Department of Public Health at 252-475-5003. (From Dare County Department of Public Health)