Don’t let pests take a bite out of your summer

As we begin to spend more time outdoors for recreation and relaxation, we also should know summertime also signals the return of mosquitos, annoying pests at best or in the worse cases, carriers of incapacitating, sometimes fatal, diseases.

Those two mosquito-borne health threats, West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis, usually don’t make their presence known until later in the season.

The first human case last year didn’t occur until Sept. 1, when officials disclosed that an elderly woman had been exposed to the West Nile virus.

In her 80s, the woman was likely exposed in Middlesex County, an area of moderate risk, according to the Department of Public Health.

The virus poses the greatest risk to those over 50, though most people infected will have no symptoms, the DPH noted. Symptoms, when they do occur, include fever and flu-like illness.

There were five cases of

West Nile virus infection in the state last year, the DPH indicated.

Fortunately, it was also a quiet season for Eastern equine encephalitis. Like West Nile, EEE is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.

Triple E’s early symptoms include fever, chills, malaise and myalgia.

But mosquitos aren’t the only health threats humans need to heed when venturing outside this time of year.

More recently, an earthbound insect has dominated the headlines.

Ticks, bugs that feed on the blood of mammals, birds, or reptiles, can spread several disease-causing germs with their bite.

The most common tickborne diseases in Massachusetts are Lyme disease, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis.

However, there are others, including the Powassan virus, which claimed the life of an elderly Connecticut woman last month. According to that state’s Department of Public Health, that woman in her 90s became the second Connecticut resident to test positive for that virus this year.

The woman, who officials said had a tick bite removed, became sick a few weeks later in early May, and was admitted to a hospital with symptoms including fever, altered mental status, headache, chills, rigors, chest pain and nausea.

Her condition worsened and she ultimately died of the virus on May 17. As this fatality shows, tick-borne illnesses can be severe, so steps should be taken to avoid one’s exposure.

That starts with knowing the environment they inhabit.

These tiny bugs like shady, damp, brushy, wooded, or grassy areas — especially tall grass — even in your own backyard.

Ticks don’t fly or jump.

They attach to animals or people that come into direct contact with them. Deer ticks and dog ticks are found throughout Massachusetts; Lone Star ticks are also found in some places in Massachusetts.

Deer ticks spread Lyme disease and its offshoots. The highest risk of being bitten — for all ticks — occurs throughout the spring, summer and fall seasons.

Dog ticks spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever and certain types of tularemia, a rare infectious disease. Adult dog ticks are about the size of a watermelon seed.

Lone star ticks currently aren’t a significant source of human illness in Massachusetts, but are capable of spreading tularemia and other diseases.

Avoiding ticks might not always work, so if you, other family members, or a pet have been active outside, be sure to conduct a tick checkup.

According to massgov., favorite tick body locations include areas between the toes, back of the knees, groin, armpits, neck, along the hairline, and behind the ears.

Removing ticks from pets might be a more tedious process, but their well-being depends on your diligence.

Like mosquitos, there are insecticides that can help eliminate or at least mitigate the tick threat. Visit your local garden center — or use online sources — to find the appropriate product.

These precautions should help ensure a tick-off — rather than ticked-off — summer.