Here’s what you can do to protect yourself from mosquito borne viruses : NPR

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

Mosquitoes are not just a nuisance. Recent headlines remind us that they can also be a serious health concern. Cases of eastern equine encephalitis in New England have shut down some public parks in Massachusetts and killed one person in New Hampshire. Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci is recovering from West Nile virus, another mosquito-borne disease. Joining us now is NPR health correspondent Maria Godoy. Hi, Maria.

MARIA GODOY, BYLINE: Hi, Ailsa.

CHANG: Hi. OK, we’re going to talk mosquitoes for the next few minutes. What can you tell us about this virus that’s spreading in New England?

GODOY: So eastern equine encephalitis is really rare. That’s the good news.

CHANG: OK.

GODOY: But if you do get it, it’s quite serious. About a third of people infected die, and others can experience severe medical complications. You get it from a mosquito bite, and it attacks the central nervous system. And while it’s getting a lot of attention right now, it’s actually not all that common in the U.S. There are a lot of other mosquito-borne diseases that researchers worry about.

CHANG: OK, great. What else should we be worrying about?

GODOY: Well, West Nile virus, for starters, as you mentioned. Our nation’s former top infectious disease expert was just hospitalized for this disease. He’s on the mend now. Dr. Desiree LaBeaud is a professor at Stanford who studies mosquito-borne diseases. And she says West Nile is the biggest concern in the U.S. right now.

DESIREE LABEAUD: West Nile is the most common mosquito-borne disease, hands down. That’s the one that people should really be thinking about. But there are lots of other infections.

GODOY: Like malaria, Zika, dengue. There’s actually been several cases of locally acquired dengue in the U.S. this year.

CHANG: Wow. Wait, do we know why we’re seeing these diseases on the rise?

GODOY: Well, mosquitoes love hot weather, and it’s been a scorching summer.

CHANG: Yeah.

GODOY: And as the world warms, mosquito-borne illnesses are rising, and not just in the U.S. but in Central and South America and Europe too. It’s complicated, but researchers say climate change is definitely a factor.

CHANG: Well, what can people do to protect themselves?

GODOY: Well, you need to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes, obviously. And that means avoiding the outdoors when they are most active – at dawn and after dusk. And when you do go out, cover up. I spoke to Dr. Peter Hotez. He’s the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, which is in the Gulf Coast, where it is really hot. But he still goes out completely covered up.

PETER HOTEZ: I’m actually covered in a long-sleeve hoodie and sweatpants and socks and sneakers and a hat. And of course, people look at me like I’m crazy because it’s so hot, and everyone’s in shorts.

(LAUGHTER)

GODOY: The – yeah.

CHANG: That sounds sweltering.

GODOY: And, you know, he also covers his exposed skin with an insect repellent like DEET. And, you know, there’s also permethrin, which is an insect repellent that you can spray on your clothes. You know, other things to do – you want to make sure your window screens don’t have any holes. And get rid of standing water, both outdoors and indoors, because that’s where mosquitoes like to breed.

CHANG: Of course. That is NPR’s Maria Godoy. Thank you so much, Maria.

GODOY: My pleasure.

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