Colorado is the state hardest hit by West Nile virus this year with six deaths out of 10 nationwide. All were among elderly women. To prevent West Nile virus, the Centers for Disease Control urges everyone to use insect repellent, stay away from stagnant water and eliminate mosquito breeding grounds such as standing water. 
[SOURCE: "Health Official Delivers West Nile Aid for Colorado," Reuters Health, August 21, 2003]

DEET Keeps Bugs Off 
                                                                                                           

The lazy days of summer conjure up visions of long hours lazing by the lake or nights camping under the stars. Add sound to this idyllic picture, and you might hear the buzzing of mosquitoes. The spread of West Nile Virus has made mosquito bites more than an annoyance. Insect repellants containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) have been available for decades, but many consumers worry about the use of synthetic chemicals and the small chance of an adverse reaction. New studies show that DEET is far more effective in repelling mosquitoes than natural products. In a controlled study, OFF! Deep Woods repelled insects for an average of 301 minutes compared with Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus that protected for an average of 23 minutes. DEET works by evaporating off the skin and confusing the mosquito so it doesn't land. 
[SOURCE: "DEET Is Hard To Beat," Harvard Health Letter, July, 2003]

Keep Mosquitoes Off! 
                                                                                                           

With West Nile virus lurking, it's important this summer to protect yourself from mosquito bites. If you're venturing into areas where mosquitoes are plentiful, public health authorities recommend use of insect repellents containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide). Studies have shown that DEET-based repellents last longer, delaying the first bite much longer than 15 natural products (such as soybean oil, citronella or peppermint oil) tested.Higher concentrations of DEET-based products don't repel mosquitoes any better but last longer. Concentrations of 30 percent for adults and 10 percent for children are recommended. 
[SOURCE: "DEET Is Hard To Beat," Harvard Health Letter, July, 2003]

New Ways To Keep Mosquitoes Away                                                                                    


If you’re battling mosquitoes this summer, you have two products, newly recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, to add to your arsenal. 

In addition to products containing DEET, the CDC recommends repellents containing picardin (Cutter Advanced) and oil of lemon eucalyptus (Repel). Unlike DEET, picardin is odorless but appears to work as well at comparable concentrations. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is an all-natural product that provides protection similar to lower-concentration DEET products.
[SOURCE: Johns Hopkins Medical Letter, August, 2005]

 Outdoor Workers: Protect Yourselves 
                                                                       

Outdoor workers such as painters, roofers, construction workers, farmers, landscapers and groundskeepers are at risk of exposure to West Nile virus by being bitten by infected mosquitoes. The National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOSH) suggests that employers eliminate sources of standing water where mosquitoes breed and avoid scheduling outdoor work when mosquitoes are active and biting. Workers at risk should wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants; apply mosquito repellent and try to avoid weedy, brushy and wooded areas. 
[SOURCE: "Avoiding West Nile Virus Risks in Outdoor Work," Safety Compliance Letter, October 1, 2002]

West Nile: Major Threat to Seniors                                                                                                


In Africa, where West Nile virus has been present for several decades, the disease today is most prevalent in children-probably because infected persons develop lifelong immunity. The most serious illness, wherever the disease occurs, is usually in older persons and those with weakened immune systems. Even though West Nile virus illness increased rapidly in the United States during, 2002, public health experts believe that the disease will gradually become less prevalent as more persons develop immunity. 
[SOURCE: Timothy F. Kirn, "West Nile Virus: From Sea to Shining Sea by, 2003?" Pediatric News, September, 2002]

West Nile Vaccine Still 4 Years Away 
                                                                       

Although researchers are working on promising candidates, a vaccine to protect humans against West Nile virus is still at least four to five years away. One possible vaccine, similar to the yellow fever vaccine, has shown encouraging results in hamsters, mice, monkeys and horses and may soon be ready for human testing. At least two other possible vaccines are also being investigated through the support of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 
[SOURCE: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, "Research on West Nile Virus," December, 2002; Alicia Campbell and H. Michael Dreher, "A New Transcontinental Disease: The West Nile Virus," MedSurg Nursing," June, 2002]