A registered sanitarian inspects village and state-licensed establishments to ensure adherence to defined federal, state, and local codes and safety guidelines. The establishments that are inspected at least annually include:
- restaurants and food establishments
- public swimming pools
- community events
- Food-water-vector borne illnesses
- Rabies control/dog bite investigation
- Human health hazards
- Citizen nuisance complaints
West Nile virus is transmitted to humans by a bite from an infected mosquito. During the summer of 2009, the Health Department and DPW will continue our West Nile surveillance and treat catch basins that have standing water for mosquito larva in the spring. Treating the catch basins with larvicides prevents mosquito larva from becoming adult mosquitoes. The treated catch basins are retested after 45 days to determine the effectiveness of the treatment.
The statewide, toll-free DEAD BIRD REPORTING HOTLINE at 1-800-433-1610 has now been reactivated. Questions about dead birds and information on safe handling and disposal can be answered by hotline staff. Do no handle dead birds with your hands.
Mosquitoes get infected with West Nile virus (WNV) by feeding on infected birds and can then transmit the virus to other animals, birds, and humans.
Symptoms
Most people infected with WNV will not have any symptoms. Twenty percent of people who do become ill with the virus have mild symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back.
Symptoms start within 3 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito and typically last a few days. If you think you may have WNV, call your heath care provider to help treat your symptoms.
In rare cases, more severe illness can include muscle weakness, stiff neck, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis, coma and potentially death. Older people are at greater risk of becoming severely ill.
Since all mosquitoes need water to lay their eggs and complete their life cycle, reducing or eliminating standing water reduces potential breeding sites, mosquito numbers and the risk for mosquito bites.
Prevention Measures:
Other prevention measures include:
- Limit time spent outside at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
- Apply insect repellant to skin and also spray clothing as mosquitoes may bite through them.
- Ensure window and door screens are in good repair to prevent mosquito entry.
- Properly dispose of items that hold water: tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, old tires.
- Clean roof gutters and downspouts for proper drainage.
- Turn over wheelbarrows, wading pools, boats, and canoes when not in use.
- Change the water in birdbaths and pet dishes at least every three days.
- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs; drain water from pool covers.
- Trim tall grass, weeds and vines since mosquitoes use these areas to rest during hot daylight hours.
- Landscape to prevent water from pooling in low-lying
areas.
LYME Disease
Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria carried by deer ticks. Deer ticks are hard to see, ranging from about a poppy seed to a sesame seed in size. Check yourself often for ticks, paying attention to the head, scalp, armpit, groin and area behind the knee.
Ticks must be attached to an individual for 24 hours before it can transmit the disease. If you find a tick, remove it slowly and gently by using a pair of thin-bladed tweezers. Do not use petroleum jelly, nail polish remover or burning matches—these are not safe or effective ways to remove ticks.
Symptoms
Symptoms may start as a circular reddish rash (bulls-eye rash), around the site of the tick bite, which may appear between 3 to 30 days after the bite of an infected tick. This rash is a reddened area, often with a clear area in the middle that expands in size to cover a large area (usually larger than two inches) over days or weeks, or may even appear in several places on other parts of the body. Not all persons with the disease develop the initial rash.
Other symptoms include fever, headache, chills, pain in the muscles or joints, enlarged lymph nodes, or facial paralysis. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics and is treated more easily when detected early, so call your doctor if you think you might have this disease.
Prevention Measures
- Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and lots of leaf litter since ticks prefer these areas. If you do go into areas like this, try to stay in the center of a cleared trail.
- Use effective tick repellants and apply according to the label instructions. CDC recommends that adults use repellants with 20-30% DEET on exposed skin and clothing to prevent tick bites. Repellants that have permethrin can also be applied to clothing.
- Wear clothes that will help shield you from ticks such as long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Tuck your pants into the top of your socks or boots. Light-colored clothing will make ticks easier to see.
- Landscape homes and recreational areas to reduce the number of ticks and create tick-safe zones by using woodchips or gravel along the border between lawn and wooded areas.
- Remove leaf litter and clear tall grass and brush around the house all summer long.
- Protect your pets from tick bites by checking your
dog or cat for ticks before letting them inside. There is
a vaccine available for pets to prevent Lyme disease but
this will not stop them from bringing ticks into your
home. Talk to your veterinarian about topical tick
repellant for pets.
