Mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance. Recent headlines remind us they can also be a serious health concern.
In New England, cases of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) — a rare but potentially deadly disease — haveshut down some public parksand killed one person in New Hampshire. Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s former top infectious disease expert, isrecovering from West Nile virus, another mosquito-borne disease.
Researchers say mosquito-borne illnesses are on the rise across the U.S., Central and South America and Europe, thanks to warming temperatures and other factors. And while West Nile virus remains the most common in the U.S., many other mosquito-borne illnesses – includingZika,malariaanddengue– are also a concern.
“Luckily for humans, you prevent them a lot the same way,”saysDr. Angelle Desiree LaBeaud,a professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Stanford University and epidemiologist whose work focuses on insect-borne diseases.
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Here’s what you need to know about protecting yourself from a potentially infectious mosquito bite.
Cover up
A mosquito can’t infect you if it can’t bite you, and that means avoiding going outdoors when they are most active, from dusk until dawn. If you do go outside at these times, it’s important to cover up with long pants and long sleeves so there’s less exposed skin for mosquitos to nip at, saysDr. Peter Hotez,the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston, Texas.
Even though he’s on the Gulf Coast, where summers can get brutally hot, Hotez says he makes sure to cover up completely whenever he ventures outside in the morning or evening.
“I am actually covered in a long-sleeve hoodie, sweat pants, socks and sneakers and a hat. And of course, people look at me like I’m crazy because it’s so hot and everyone’s in shorts.” But it helps him avoid getting bitten.
Use insect repellent
Hotez says he also applies insect repellent on whatever skin is left exposed – the back and palm of his hands, his neck and the sides of his face.
TheCDC recommends using an insect-repellentregistered with the Environmental Protection Agency, includingDEET, picaridin and IR3535.
Oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol (PMD) also work, according to the CDC, but they should not be used on children under age 3.
You can also treat your clothes with an insect repellent called permethrin. Just don’t get it on your skin. Andcat owners should be carefulwhen spraying, because permethrin is toxic to cats.The CDC has a video on how to use it properly.
Don’t forget to protect kids, too
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using insect repellent on kids, too, whenever you’re in an area where bites are a concern.
And while some parents are wary, theAAP says it’s safe to use DEET on kids– just make sure to use a product that contains no more than 30% DEET, and only apply it once a day on a child.
The pediatricians’ group recommends using insect repellents in the form of sticks, lotions and unpressurized sprays for kids, and avoiding products that combine insect repellent with sunscreen.
Check your screens and get rid of standing water
Mosquitoes love to breed in standing water, so it’s important to make sure to empty any containers – whether it be empty flower pots, kids’ toy buckets or whatnot – that might attract them, LaBeaud and Hotez both say.
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That goes for indoors too, Hotez says, especially if you’re keeping the door open for a while to, say, let the dog out. And don’t forget to check window and door screens for holes or snags that might let mosquitoes sneak inside.
Call mosquito control
If you happen to see a lot of mosquito activity on your property and don’t know where it’s coming from, LaBeaud says you can call your local mosquito control district and they’ll come out and investigate and help treat the problem.
LaBeaud welcomes the recent attention to preventing mosquito bites, because as she notes, “Mosquitoes are not always harmless,” theykill more peoplethan any other creature in the world.
Still, she says, she doesn’t want people to be terrified – “just recognize that they could have a health impact,” and take precautions.
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