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West Nile
Virus
How to Protect Yourself
 | When possible, avoid places and times
when mosquitoes bite. |
| Wear shoes, socks, long pants and a
long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes
are most active. Clothing should be light colored and made of tightly woven
materials to keep mosquitoes away from the skin. Pant legs should tucked into
shoes or socks, and collars should be buttoned. |
| Use mosquito netting when sleeping
outdoors or in an unscreened structure. |
| Use and insect repellant such as DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide). |
Although many mosquitoes bite at dusk or at night, some bite during the day.
All mosquitoes will bite if you enter an area where they are resting, such as
high grass or heavy underbrush. While it is not necessary to limit outdoor
activity (unless there is evidence of mosquito-borne disease in the area), you
can and should reduce your risk of being bitten by mosquitoes.
You can protect your family from biting mosquitoes by reducing the amount of
standing water available for mosquito breeding in or near your property:
| Repair failed septic systems.
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| Keep grass cut short and shrubbery
trimmed. |
| Dispose of old tires, cans, plastic
containers, ceramic pots or other unused containers that can hold water.
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| For those containers that must remain on
your property, such as bird baths and wading pools, change the water at least
once per week. |
| Cover trash containers to keep out
rainwater. |
| Clean clogged roof gutters, particularly
if leaves tend to plug up the drains. |
| Repair leaky water pipes and outside
faucets. |
| Aerate ornamental pools or stock them
with predatory fish. |
| Clean and chlorinate swimming pools even
if they are not being used. |
| Keep drains, ditches and, culverts free
of grass clippings, weeds and trash so water will drain properly. |
Insect
Repellant
For additional protection from mosquitoes, use an insect repellent containing
DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide). DEET is an effective insect repellent used
worldwide for over 40 years. DEET products come in lotions, creams, gels,
sprays, and towelettes. Products containing DEET must be used properly. Be
sure to:
| Read and follow instructions on the label
to avoid excessive use and over-application. In most circumstances products
with 25 percent to 35 percent DEET provide adequate protection for adults.
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| Lower concentrations are used on
children. Do not allow children to apply DEET repellent themselves, and do not
use DEET on infants. |
| Apply DEET repellent to clothes whenever
possible. Apply sparingly to exposed skin, and only then if the label permits.
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| Use just enough repellent to cover
exposed skin and/or clothing. |
| Do not spray DEET directly on the face.
Rather, spray repellent onto the hands and use them to apply it to the face,
avoiding sensitive areas like the eyes, mouth and nasal membranes.
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| Do not apply over cuts, wounds, irritated
skin, or under clothing. |
| To find out if you have a reaction to
DEET, apply the repellent to a small area of an arm or leg before general use.
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| To prevent damage, avoid spraying
repellents on plastic (such as watch crystals and eyeglasses), synthetic
fabrics, leather, or painted or varnished surfaces. |
| Do not spray DEET repellents in enclosed
areas. |
| Upon returning indoors, wash any treated
skin with soap and water. |
| Wash any DEET treated clothing before
wearing them again. |
DEET products usually repel mosquitoes for
several hours. However, repellents are effective only at short distances from
the treated surface, so you may still see mosquitoes nearby. As long as you are
not being bitten, there is no need to apply more repellant.
For More Information Contact:
Union County Health Department
6 West South Street - Suite 2, Liberty, IN 47353
Tel: 765-458-5393
FAX: 765-458-5582
Internet: support@uchd.com
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Union County Health Department
