MOSQUIT-NO

Stay on guard against flying bloodsuckers

Ticks are not the only biting bugs Arkansans have to worry about. Often jokingly referred to as the state bird, the mosquito can leave an itchy bite and transmit serious diseases.

“Worldwide, the mosquito is the world’s most deadly animal,” said Dr. Dirk Haselow, Arkansas state epidemiologist.

The most common mosquito-borne illness in the state is the West Nile virus, he said, adding that the condition is often underdiagnosed.

Most people who are exposed to the virus do not get sick or experience a short-lived fever, he said. In about 1 percent of cases, he added, West Nile can cause the brain to swell, leading to fever, confusion and even comas, seizures and death.

Another mosquito-related illness, the Zika virus, recently gained notoriety. Most people who are infected have no symptoms, Haselosw said, and those who do usually experience mild, temporary symptoms such as fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes.

“The scary thing about the Zika virus is what it can do to infants,” he said. Fetuses who are exposed to Zika in the womb may be born with abnormally small brains and other developmental problems.

Women can potentially pass the disease on to their children if the mothers are exposed to Zika up to eight weeks before becoming pregnant, he said, adding that men may be able to transmit the disease sexually for up to six months after exposure.

No cases of Zika have originated in Arkansas so far, he said, but the disease has broken out nearby in Florida and south Texas. Traveling to areas with Zika presents another concern.

“If someone is traveling outside of the United States in the Western Hemisphere, they need to think about Zika and protect themselves while traveling,” he said, adding that travelers should also avoid bites for a few weeks after returning to avoid infecting local mosquitoes. Haselow recommended that women who are pregnant take special precautions to protect themselves both at home and abroad, including avoiding trips to places where Zika is present.

“Even for people who don’t travel, we want you to be aware that mosquito bites aren’t good for you in general,” he said.

Many of the precautions that prevent tick bites also prevent mosquito bites, he said, including wearing light-colored clothing, long sleeves and pants, as well as using insect repellent.