West Nile Virus

West Nile virus is usually spread by ticks or mosquitoes. Older persons and those with compromised immune systems are most at risk.

Although the disease often produces mild symptons such fever, headache, body aches, skin rash, and/or swollen lymph glands, it can cause life-threatening illnesses such as encephalitis or meningitis if it enters the brain.

Anyone living in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin or Wyoming, should take precautions against mosquitoes which could be infected with West Nile Virus.

Homes should use screens on all open windows. Breeding places for mosquitoes, such as stagnent water, should be removed. Anyone working or playing outside should use a mosquito effective insect repellant.

Different repellants are effective for different amounts of time . They need to be either reapplied or the person should come inside as 'effective protection time' draws to a close.

DEET is the most widely publicized protector. Skintastic has 6.5% DEET and it offers an hour's worth of protection. Deep Woods has 23.8% DEET and is effective for five or more hours.

There are a number of non-DEET repellants. Cutter Advanced which has 7% picaridin and offers protection for about 2 hours. OFF, Bontanicals, Repel, Lemon Eucalyptus and other products that have oil of lemon eucalyptus are usually effective for about 2 hours. But those caring for children under the age of 3 should be cautioned that oil of eucalyptus has not been tested in young children and so should not be used for them.

Bite Blocker has soybean oil and it has been found to be as effective as low concentrations of DEET. Oil of citronella grass is not effective. In tests it has not provided protection for even a half hour.

After coming indoors it make sense to wash skin and change out of clothing that has been sprayed with insect repellant.

Making small mosquito precautions part of every day summer activites, can protect you and your family from this sometimes serious disease.

Author: Kate Lindemann Ph. D. of Osteopenia -Osteopenia Treatments http://www.osteopenia3.com

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