Avoid illnesses from mosquitoes and ticks

May 21 through 27 was “Tick and Mosquito Borne Illness Awareness Week” in North Carolina. The state leads the country in the number of cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, carried by ticks, and Lacrosse virus, which is carried by mosquitoes.

Infections from tick and mosquito bites can be serious and result in lengthy illnesses, hospitalization, disability and even death. However, these illnesses can be prevented by protecting yourself against bites and making your surroundings less friendly to those insects.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most common tick-borne illness in North Carolina. By the end of April, North Carolina accounted for 225 of the nation’s 292 recorded cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. In 2005, there were 625 reported cases in North Carolina. The state also has other tick-borne illnesses, including Lyme disease, with 49 cases reported last year, and ehrlichiosis, with 37 cases.

Lacrosse virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness, and it is found mostly in the western part of the state. North Carolina accounted for more than 46 percent of the country’s Lacrosse Virus cases, according to the CDC.

Two other mosquito-borne diseases, Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus, are also found in North Carolina. While EEE is found largely in the eastern part of the state, West Nile is found across the state.

Although rare, ticks and mosquitoes can kill. Since 2003, two people have died as a result of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and two have died from West Nile Virus.

According to the North Carolina divisions of Public Health and Environmental Health, you can do the following to protect yourself and your family from ticks and mosquitoes:

• Apply insect repellant according to the label instructions.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to cover your skin.
• To make your environment less tick-friendly, keep grass short and remove plants that attract wild animals like deer and rodents that carry ticks.
• To make your environment less mosquito-friendly, remove any containers that hold water and make sure that screens and doors fit tightly.

For more information about tick and mosquito borne illnesses visit the Division of Public Health's website at www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/arbovirus/eee.html and the Division of Environmental Health’s website at www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/phpm/html/pest_species.html.

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Last Modified: June 5, 2006