{"id":176,"date":"2016-08-08T18:05:53","date_gmt":"2016-08-08T18:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/agrilife.org\/agnewsandviews\/?p=176"},"modified":"2016-08-08T18:36:06","modified_gmt":"2016-08-08T18:36:06","slug":"tips-for-avoiding-zika","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agrilife.org\/agnewsandviews\/2016\/08\/08\/tips-for-avoiding-zika\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Avoiding Zika"},"content":{"rendered":"

Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Contact: Dr. Sonja Swiger, 254-968-4144, slswiger@ag.tamu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Dr. Mike Merchant, 972-952-9204, m-merchant@tamu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

STEPHENVILLE \u2013 The mosquito-transmitted Zika virus is a potential\u00a0threat to the health of unborn babies in Texas and other states, and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has stepped up efforts\u00a0 to educate the public on ways to protect themselves from this new menace, said agency entomologists.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile people enjoy outdoor activities and travel this summer, it\u2019s important to remember that our first line of defense against Zika is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes,\u201d said Dr. Sonja Swiger, AgriLife Extension entomologist at Stephenville. \u201cThe Aedes aegypti\u00a0and A. albopictus mosquitoes that transmit Zika occur commonly in our backyards where their\u00a0eggs are laid and larvae live in standing water. Like other mosquito species, they are active at\u00a0sunrise and sunset, but commonly bite throughout the day as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Swiger said it\u2019s important to remember the \u201cFour Ds\u201d as a first line of defense. They are:<\/p>\n

— Drain: <\/strong>Empty standing water, thus eliminating mosquito breeding sites.<\/p>\n

— Dress: Put on long sleeved shirts and pants when going outside.<\/p>\n

— Defend: <\/strong>Apply mosquito repellent when going outside.<\/p>\n

— Dusk and Dawn: Avoid outdoor activity during these two most mosquito-active periods.<\/p>\n

Swiger said simple steps such as repairing screens on doors and windows are critically important to keeping mosquitoes out. Managing\u00a0 landscape water features is another key area in the fight against the spread of the Zika virus.<\/p>\n

\u201cMosquito dunks, commonly sold in garden centers for mosquito control in home water features, can be used to treat water that cannot be readily drained,\u201d she said. \u201cThe dunks contain insect growth regulators or mosquito-specific\u00a0bacteria to effectively\u00a0control\u00a0mosquito larvae. Neither approach is harmful to fish or other aquatic organisms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Mike Merchant, AgriLife Extension urban entomologist at Dallas, said that fighting Zika will be much different than fighting West Nile virus. \u00a0Aedes mosquitoes infected with Zika are not easily detected, so health officials have to rely on actual human cases to identify hot spots.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition, city and county truck-mounted sprayers are less effective at killing Aedes mosquitoes, so stopping these mosquitoes in each and every backyard is even more important. \u00a0Everyone will need to pitch in,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything that holds water should be dumped or treated. Breeding areas can include sites as benign as containers under potted plants and bird baths. Other trouble areas are old tires, empty cans and bottles, kiddie pools, buckets, boat tarps and even clogged gutters.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t take much water for them to reproduce,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201c<\/strong>Small containers can hold enough water to breed mosquitoes.\u00a0Aedes mosquitoes don\u2019t travel far from their larval habitat, so if you\u2019ve got them, chances are you unknowingly raised them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Swiger said there are many mosquito repellents available, but all approved formulations share two\u00a0 commonalities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registration of these repellent products means first, that\u00a0the active ingredient has been tested and is safe for people to use, and second, that it\u2019s effective in repelling mosquitoes when used as directed.<\/p>\n

\u201cEPA and the Centers for Disease Control have evaluated scientific reports and conclude mosquito repellents containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, called IR3535, as active ingredients provide reasonably long-lasting protection from mosquito bites,\u201d Swiger said.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsers should always read and follow label instructions. Most repellents can be used on children over two months of age, with the exception of those containing oil of lemon eucalyptus, which should not be used on children younger than 3 years old. For babies under two months of age, infant carriers fitted with mosquito netting are recommended. Pregnant and breast-feeding mothers can safely use EPA-approved insect repellents.\u201d<\/p>\n

Swiger said constant vigilance is the key to slowing Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases\u00a0such as West Nile virus.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the global world we live in today,\u201d she said. \u201cAs people travel and return from areas affected by Zika, some will return carrying the virus. When Aedes mosquitoes bite infected people, they acquire the virus. The mosquito then transmits it to an uninfected person, passing the virus to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Swiger said that as of this writing, there are 46 recorded cases of Zika in Texas, all travel associated, except for one contracted sexually from their partner who traveled. No Texas mosquitoes have been found to be infected.<\/p>\n

\u201cEpidemics are expected as infected people arrive and locally acquired infections occur,\u201d she said. \u201cAs the many media accounts report, women infected by the virus while pregnant are known to have babies with severe neurological defects. Aside from mosquito infections, additional cases may occur from sexual transmission of the disease. So at this point, controlling mosquitoes and protecting yourself from infection are the two key factors in the rigorous defense against this new mosquito-borne \u00a0virus threat.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information, contact Swiger at 254-968-4144 or\u00a0slswiger@ag.tamu.edu<\/a>\u00a0or Merchant at 972-952-9204, m-merchant@tamu.edu<\/a> .<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Sonja Swiger, 254-968-4144, slswiger@ag.tamu.edu Dr. Mike Merchant, 972-952-9204, m-merchant@tamu.edu STEPHENVILLE \u2013 The mosquito-transmitted Zika virus is a potential\u00a0threat to the health of unborn… Read More →<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":609,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-uncategorized","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTips for Avoiding Zika - Ag News and Views<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/agrilife.org\/agnewsandviews\/2016\/08\/08\/tips-for-avoiding-zika\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tips for Avoiding Zika - Ag News and Views\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Sonja Swiger, 254-968-4144, slswiger@ag.tamu.edu Dr. Mike Merchant, 972-952-9204, m-merchant@tamu.edu STEPHENVILLE \u2013 The mosquito-transmitted Zika virus is a potential\u00a0threat to the health of unborn... 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