Fight the bite: How to reduce exposure to ticks and mosquitoes this season

Published May 2, 2022

By Andrew Mundhenk, Henderson County Dept. of Public Health

We are all ready to get outside and enjoy the activities Western North Carolina has to offer. But the warmer weather also brings out mosquitos and ticks, and the diseases they can carry with them. 

According to preliminary data from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, there were more than 1,000 cases of tick- and mosquito-borne illnesses in 2021. These insects are typically most active in the spring, summer and early fall in North Carolina.

"Ticks and mosquitoes cause a high level of disease in North Carolina; they carry bacteria, viruses, and protozoans that can cause serious infections," said Alexis M. Barbarin, state public health entomologist. 

Fortunately, mosquito and tick diseases are preventable. The basics of prevention are simple: wear protective clothing, use insect repellent and avoid wooded, grassy or brushy areas. 

Mosquitoes

The most common mosquito-borne illnesses in North Carolina are West Nile virus infection, eastern equine encephalitis and La Crosse encephalitis, according to NCDHHS. Nearly 70% of mosquito-borne infections reported in the state in 2021 were acquired during travel outside the continental United States. 

There were no cases of Zika virus infection reported in North Carolina in 2021. According to NCDHHS, all cases of Zika reported to date in North Carolina have been associated with travel outside of the continental United States.La

Crosse encephalitis is the most common and occurs mostly in the western part of the state. Between 2011 and 2020, North Carolina reported the second-highest number of La Crosse cases in the United States. 

Symptoms of La Crosse include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and tiredness. In rare cases, it can cause coma, paralysis, long-term disability or death. There is no vaccine for La Crosse. The best defense against it and other mosquito-borne illnesses is to avoid mosquito bites. 

NCDHHS shares some tips to reduce exposure to mosquitoes:  

  • Use mosquito repellent that contains DEET (or equivalent) when outside. Use caution when applying to children.
  • Consider treating clothing and gear (such as tents) with 0.5% permethrin.
  • Install or repair screens on windows and doors and use air conditioning if possible.
  • Talk with your primary care provider or the health department if you plan to travel to an area where exotic mosquito-borne diseases occur. 
  • Always check your travel destination to identify appropriate prevention methods.
  • Reduce mosquito breeding by using the "tip and toss" method of emptying standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires and birdbaths at least once a week.

Ticks 

Ticks are small, bloodsucking arthropods that can transmit diseases to humans and animals. Several illnesses transmitted by ticks are found in North Carolina. 

Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis are commonly acquired from tick bites, according to NCDHHS. Confirmed, probable and suspected cases of Lyme disease accounted for more than half of tick-borne diseases reported last year.

Most tick-borne diseases in North Carolina can cause flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, rashes, flu-like illness and other symptoms. Antibiotics can be used if caught early. Untreated, these illnesses may lead to serious health problems, including death, in rare cases.

To reduce exposure to ticks:  

  • Avoid tick habitats, such as wooded, grassy or brushy areas.
  • Use tick repellent that contains DEET (or equivalent) on exposed skin and wear permethrin-treated clothing. Use caution when applying to children.
  • Reduce tick habitats with selective landscaping techniques.

If there is a tick attached to your body, carefully remove the tick by grasping it with fine-tipped tweezers as close as possible to your skin, then apply a steady, gentle pull until it releases. Never crush a tick with your fingers. 

Fight the bite and have a safe time outdoors this year.

Andrew Mundhenk is the Communications Manager for the Henderson County Department of Public Health.