INC NEWS - Fw: [NCEMS] North Carolinians Warned To Protect Themselves from Mosquito Bites, EEE

Tue Aug 16 14:29:14 EDT 2005

Health warning from Betty Moore,  Fire Marshal's office


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Moore, Betty" <bmoore at co.durham.nc.us>
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Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 1:21 PM
Subject: FW: [NCEMS] North Carolinians Warned To Protect Themselves from 
Mosquito Bites, EEE


> FYI
>
> Betty S. Moore
> CFI / EM Coordinator
> Durham County Fire Marshal's Office
> Emergency Management Division
> 919-560-0666
> bmoore at co.durham.nc.us
>
> Release:
>
> North Carolinians Warned To Protect Themselves from Mosquito Bites,
> Eastern Equine Encephalitis
>
> RALEIGH: Officials from the Departments of Environment and Natural
> Resources and Health and Human Services urge people to protect
> themselves from mosquito bites and the risk of Eastern Equine
> Encephalitis (EEE). Two confirmed cases of EEE in horses and several
> EEE-positive sentinel chicken flocks in the northeastern part of the
> state have raised concerns about the mosquito-borne disease making its
> way into the human population.
>
> 
Human incidence of EEE is rare, but its a dangerous disease. There
> is no cure and no vaccine for people available right now, so people
> need to protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites,
 stated Dr.
> Leah Devlin, State Health Director. 
Minimize unprotected outdoor
> activity at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. Protective
> measures include applying insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved
> shirts and pants; all of these things can reduce the risk of mosquito-
> borne illness.
>
> This year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added to
> its recommended arsenal of products that fight the bite. In past
> years, the CDC had recommended repellents containing the chemical
> DEET. The CDC continues to say that DEET is most effective, but CDC
> experts have added two other repellents to its list of recommended
> repellents; picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. Picaridin has long
> been used in other countries and is an ingredient in at least one
> repellent sold in the United States. Oil of lemon eucalyptus has long
> been sold in a variety of sprays and lotions. According to the CDC,
> oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three
> years old. Consumers should look for products that contain the CDC-
> recommended ingredients and follow all label instructions.
>
> While rare in humans, EEE can be serious and even fatal when it
> occurs. North Carolina averages about one human case each year.
> Approximately fifty percent of human EEE cases are fatal, with young
> children and the elderly most at risk. Survivors of EEE infections
> may suffer from long-term brain damage. Therapy is limited to
> treating the symptoms of the disease because there is no specific
> cure and no available vaccine for humans.
>
> The viral illness is transmitted to people by some kinds of mosquitoes
> after they bite infected wild birds. EEE attacks the central nervous
> system and causes inflammation of the brain. Symptoms can develop
> from a few days to two weeks after being bitten by an infected
> mosquito. They include rapid onset of fever and headache, followed by
> confusion, drowsiness, seizures and coma.
>
> There are three major types of mosquito borne human infections in
> North Carolina: EEE, West Nile virus, and LaCrosse encephalitis. EEE
> is mainly seen in the eastern coastal plain, West Nile is present
> statewide, and LaCrosse mainly affects children in the western
> mountain region. Thus far in 2005, North Carolina has reported or
> investigated two cases of West Nile virus and two cases of LaCrosse
> encephalitis.
>
> Limiting the areas where mosquitoes can breed around your home is an
> important way of reducing their populations. Its easy; just take a
> look around your yard and neighborhood,
 said Dr. Nolan Newton, chief
> of the Public Health Pest Management Section of the Department of
> Environment and Natural Resources.
>
> Ways to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and reduce the risk of
> mosquito bites include the following:
>
> " Make sure rain barrels have tight-fitting screens or lids;
>
> " Remove any containers that can hold water, even a small amount,
> including tires and saucers under flower pots;
>
> " Keep gutters clean and in good repair;
>
> " Repair leaky outdoor faucets and change the water in bird baths and
> pet bowls at least twice a week; and
>
> " Use screened windows and doors and make sure screens fit tightly and
> are not torn.
>
> For additional information regarding the use of repellents see these
> Web sites:
>
> http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/RepellentUpdates.htm and
> http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/arbovirus/deet.html. Additional
> information and maps will be posted at:
> http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/phpm/.
>
>
>
>
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