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When dealing
with West Nile virus, prevention is your best bet. Fighting mosquito
bites reduces your risk of getting this disease, along with others
that mosquitoes can carry. Take the commonsense steps below to
reduce your risk:
-
avoid bites
and illness;
-
clean out
the mosquitoes from the places where you work and play;
-
help your
community control the disease.
Something to
remember:
The chance that any one person is going to become ill from a single
mosquito bite remains low. The risk of severe illness and death is
highest for people over 50 years old, although people of all ages
can become ill.
Apply Insect
Repellent Containing DEET
(Look for:
N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) to exposed skin when you go
outdoors. Even a short time being outdoors can be long enough to get
a mosquito bite. For details on when and how to apply repellent, see
Insect Repellent Use and Safety in our
Questions and Answers pages. See also
Using Insect Repellent Safely from the EPA.
Clothing Can
Help Reduce Mosquito Bites
When possible,
wear long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors. Mosquitoes
may bite through thin clothing, so spraying clothes with repellent
containing permethrin or DEET will give extra protection. Don't
apply repellents containing permethrin directly to skin. Do not
spray repellent containing DEET on the skin under your clothing.
Be Aware of Peak
Mosquito Hours
The hours from
dusk to dawn are peak mosquito biting times for many species of
mosquitoes. Take extra care to use repellent and protective
clothing during evening and early morning -- or consider avoiding
outdoor activities during these times.
Mosquito-Proof Your Home
Drain Standing
Water
Mosquitoes lay
their eggs in standing water.Limit the number of places around your
home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold
water. Need examples? Learn more on the
Prevention of West Nile Virus Question and Answer page.
Install or
Repair Screens
Some mosquitoes
like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having well-fitting
screens on both windows and doors. Offer to help neighbors whose
screens might be in bad shape.
Report Dead
Birds to Local Authorities
Dead birds may
be a sign that West Nile virus is circulating between birds and the
mosquitoes in an area. Over
130 species of birds are known to have been infected with West
Nile virus, though not all infected birds will die. It's important
to remember that birds die from many other causes besides West Nile
virus.
By reporting dead birds to state and local health departments, you
can play an important role in monitoring West Nile virus. State and
local agencies have different policies for collecting and testing
birds, so check the
Links to State and Local Government Sites page to find
information about reporting dead birds in your area.
Click here for more info about reporting dead birds and dealing with
bird carcasses.
Mosquito
Control Programs
Check with
local health authorities to see if there is an organized mosquito
control program in your area. If no program exists, work with your
local government officials to establish a program. The
American Mosquito Control Association can provide advice, and
their book Organization for Mosquito Control is a useful
reference.
More questions
about mosquito control? A source for information about pesticides
and repellents is the
National Pesticide Information Center, which also operates a
toll-free information line: 1-800-858-7378 (check their Web site for
hours).
Find out more
about local prevention efforts
Find
state and local West Nile virus information and contacts on the
Links to State and Local Government Sites page.
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