Rabies

Rabies is a preventable viral disease transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal or, less commonly, when saliva from an infected animal gets into a open wound or onto a mucous membrane. Rabies is almost always fatal once clinical symptoms appear, however, it is 100% preventable in humans through prompt and appropriate medical care. If you are bitten by an animal, you should wash the bite wound with soap and water as soon as possible, consult with your doctor, and report the incident to the local health department. 

How can I tell in an animal has rabies

Unfortunately, you cannot tell if an animal has rabies just by looking at it. Brain tissue from an animal must be tested at the Ohio Department of Health Laboratory for a diagnosis.  
While you cannot tell just by appearance, an animal with rabies may exhibit strange or unnatural behaviors due to the effects of the virus on the brain. Signs may include:

• A wild animal that seems unusually tame or isn’t afraid to approach people
• An animal out during the day that is usually active only at night, such as a bat, fox, or skunk
• A pet that has trouble walking, eating, or drinking or has a change in personality/behavior
• A normally calm animal that acts agitated or aggressive
• A bat that can’t fly or has been caught by a dog or cat

What should I do if an animal bites me

If you are bitten by an animal, you should wash the bite wound with soap and water as soon as possible, consult with your doctor, and report the incident to the local health department. 

All bites should be treated as potential exposure to rabies. The  Ohio Administrative Code requires that all animal bites be reported to the health department within 24 hours of the bite. The health department notifies the owner of the animal regarding the 10 day quarantine period. For more information on rabies visit the  Centers for Disease Control & Prevention website.

How can I protect myself and my pets from getting rabies

It is very important to prevent rabies, as there is not treatment once symptoms begin. Some steps you can take:

• Vaccinate pets against the rabies virus and keep them up to date on their shots.
• Prevent bites from animals, especially wild and unfamiliar animals. 
• Wash animal bit wound immediately with soap and water. 
• Talk to a healthcare provider right away if you are bitten by an animal and report it to the local health department. 

To learn more or view the sources:

Ohio Department of Health 

CDC

Mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas that spread germs (pathogens) are called vectors. A person who gets bitten by a vector and gets sick could have a vector-borne disease (VBD). Some VBDs, like plague, have been around for thousands of years. Others, like Heartland and Bourbon virus diseases, have been discovered recently. Some VBDs can become serious, life-threatening illnesses.

A vector-borne disease is one in which the pathogenic microorganism is transmitted from an infected individual to another individual by an arthropod or other agent. The most common vectors are mosquitoes, ticks, and bed bugs.

Who is at risk?
Certain groups can be at higher risk for disease than others. 

• Children
• Older adults
• Dog owners
• Outdoor workers
• Outdoor enthusiasts
• People with weakened immune systems

Info provided by  https://www.cdc.gov/vector-borne-diseases/about/index.html

Bed bugs are small, flat insects that bite people and animals at night while they sleep, feeding on their blood. They are reddish-brown in color, are wingless, and range from 1mm to 7mm in size. They can live for several months without a meal. 

Bed bugs have been found in every major Ohio city, and reports to local health departments have increased recently. The insects frequently are found in hotels, dormitories, and apartments, but can be spread to other locations easily. Bed bugs hitch rides on clothing, luggage, bedding, and furniture. Having them in your home is not an indication of poor housekeeping or lack of cleanliness. Rather, it simply means that someone who has been in your home has also been where bed bugs are.

While Bed Bugs are not know to spread diseases to people, they can cause irritation, itching, loss of sleep, and negatively affect a person’s quality of life. Removing them from dwelling can be expensive and inconvenient. 

Where to look for them

Bed bugs can be found anywhere and how clean the establishment is does not determine whether or not bed bugs are present. They do not have nests and are great at hiding, as their flat bodies allow them to move in and out of very narrow spaces. Unless an infestation is severe, you may not see bugs. But you can examine common hiding places for tell-tale signs, such as dark spots and stains. 

Some of the most likely places you will find them:

• In pillowcases, sheets, box springs and the seams and tufts of mattresses
• Behind the bed’s headboard, baseboards, anything stored under the bed and furniture near the bed, such as nightstands
• Inside window and door casings, pictures, moldings, loose wallpaper, cracks in the plaster and clutter
• In couches and chairs in which you spend a lot of time
• Inside electrical outlets and light switches, phones, clocks, smoke detectors and toys; 
• Around pets and their usual resting spots

Don’t let the bed bugs bite

Bed bugs usually bite at night and feed on any exposed skin. While their bites are not known to transmit diseases to humans, their bites can lead to allergic reactions and possible infections from scratching. Their bites are characterized by rows of welts and are initially painless. Itchy red welts or localized swelling may occur within a day or 2 of the bite and severe itching can last for several hours or days. A doctor can prescribe medication to reduce allergic reaction to the bites. They may also recommend antiseptic or antibiotic ointments to prevent infection. 

Prevention

Bed bugs travel on clothing, furniture, luggage, and other items. It can be easy to pick up the bugs or their eggs from one location and carry them to another where they will hide and spread. To keep them out of your home:

• Check your shoes and clothing before entering your home, especially if you have been traveling, using public transportation, or been in a location where many different people gather or pass through
• If you have care providers coming into your home, as them if they have been trained to limit the spread of bed bugs and how they will prevent bringing them into your home
• Inspect used furniture for bed bugs before bringing it into your home
• Never bring discarded bed frames, mattresses, box springs, or furniture into your home
• When traveling, inspect the bed and furniture where you are staying. Keep suitcases off the the floor and bed and inspect them before you leave. 
• Wash all clothing immediately after returning from a trip and inspect your luggage for signs of bed bugs. 

Removing bed bugs

• Identify and remove potential hiding places
• Remove clutter like boxes, papers, and piles of clothing
• Remove smaller items that may be infested, such as picture frames, books, and clothing
• Place items that cannot be cleaned in sealed, plastic garbage bags and put them in outdoor trash.
• Clean what you can
• Wash bedding, curtains, rugs and clothes in hot water (120° F minimum) and dry on the highest dryer setting. Soak delicates in warm water with lots of laundry soap for several hours before rinsing. Place wool items, plush toys, shoes and other similar items in a hot dryer for 30 minutes. 
• Vacuum mattresses, bed frames, furniture, floors and carpets, especially in cracks and open spaces. When finished, vacuum 1/4 cup cornstarch or talcum powder to suffocate any bugs in the vacuum, empty it into a plastic bag, seal it and dispose of in outdoor trash.
• Scrub mattress seams with a stiff brush to dislodge bed bugs and their eggs. Cover infested mattresses and box springs with a waterproof, zippered cover labeled “allergen rated” or “for dust mites” for at least one year.
• Check pets and pet bedding as you do other furnishings. 
• Toss what you cannot clean
• Damage and toss any items such as furniture and mattresses to discourage others from taking them into their home
• Remove wallpaper and repair cracks in plaster
• Use a pest control specialist. 
• Ask family members and friends for a referral for a good and reputable specialist.
• The specialist should inspect your property, give you a written treatment plan, work with you until the bugs are gone, and teach you to prevent re-infestation. 
• Agree on a service plan and costs before the work begins.
• Expect at least 2 treatments plus a follow-up visit to confirm the bugs have been eliminated. 

For more information or to view sources:

Ohio Department of Aging

CDC

• Ticks cannot jump or fly, but can and will climb off grasses, shrubs, and trees to come into contact with people and animals to feed on blood. Ticks have the ability to transmit diseases, such as, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme Disease, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
• These diseases are considered Tick-Borne diseases and can only be transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. Ticks normally become infected by feeding on blood from an infected animal. Persons who spend a large amount of time in wooded or weedy areas should exercise caution and check their body for ticks once out of the wooded or weedy areas.

Protect again Tick Bites

• Avoid areas where ticks live. 
• Avoid wooded & brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
• Walk in the center of trails.
• Take extra precautions in spring, summer and fall when ticks are most active. 
• Use tick repellents. 
• Use insect repellents registered by the EPA labeled for use against ticks and follow the directions for application. 
• Treat clothing and gear, such as clothing, boots, socks, and tents with permethrin and follow the product label.
• Wear clothes that have been pre-treated with permethrin. 
• Cover up to keep ticks off your body. 
• Wear long pants, long sleeves, and long socks. Tuck pant legs into socks and shirts into pants to keep ticks outside of clothing. 
• Wear light-colored clothing to help spot ticks more easily. 

Check for ticks

• Check clothing and shoes for ticks and remove them before going indoors.
• Check gear for ticks as ticks can ride home on these and attach to a person later.
• Check pets for ticks and remove to prevent them from getting sick or a tick from transferring to a person. 
• Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If clothing is damp or wet, additional time may be needed. If the clothing requires washing first, hot water is recommended. 
• Check your whole body for ticks.
• Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors – preferably within 2 hours – to more easily find and wash off any ticks on you. 
• Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. 
• Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair. 
  

• The best way to remove a tick is:
• Use a fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. 
• Pull away from your skin with steady, even pressure. 
• Don’t twist or jerk the tick as this can cause mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove them, leave it alone and let the skin heal. 
• Dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers. 
• Wash your hands and the bite area with soap & water. 
• Do NOT use petroleum jelly, a hot match nail polish or any other ‘folk’ remedies to remove a tick as these methods do no work. 

• Almost everyone has had the discomfort of been bitten by a mosquito.
• Mosquito bites can cause skin irritation through an allergic reaction to the mosquito’s saliva, which causes the red bump and itching. A more serious consequence of some mosquito bites is the transmission of diseases & viruses, such as Zika and West Nile virus.  
• Mosquitoes can bite day or night and indoors or outdoors.
• Mosquitoes are most active in Ohio from May through October but they can be active as early as late March and as late as early November, depending on how warm or cold the weather is. 
• Mosquitoes are most active in the early morning (dawn) and late evening (dusk) hours. 

Mosquito Bites

When a mosquito bites you, it pierces the skin with a special mouth part to suck up blood while it also injects saliva into your skin. Your body reacts to the saliva causing a bump and itching. While some people will only have a mild reaction to a bite or bites, others may react more strongly, experiencing a large area of swelling, soreness, and redness. 

Preventing Mosquito Bites & Diseases

• Cover exposed skin with light-colored clothing, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks. Tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks to cover gaps where mosquitos can get to your skin.
  
• Use EPA-registered mosquito repellents when necessary and follow the directions closely.
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure. 
• Wear clothing treated with permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent for extra protection. 
• Replace your outdoor lights with yellow “bug” lights, which tend to attract fewer mosquitos than ordinary lights. 

Stop Mosquitoes in and around your Home

• Cover any gaps in walls, doors, and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering. 
• Make sure window and door screens are in good working order. Repair any rips, tears, or holes so mosquitoes cannot get in. 
• Eliminate standing water from flowerpots, buckets, barrels, tarps/covers, toys, or any other container where mosquitoes can breed. 
• Empty and change the water in bird baths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and potted plants/trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats from forming. 
• Dispose of discarded tires properly. Drill holes in tire swings so water can drain out. 
• Change water in pet dishes frequently.
• Check and clean clogged roof gutters at least twice a year so they drain properly. 
• Keep swimming pools treated and water circulating.

Treatment for Mosquito Bites

• Wash the bite and surrounding area with soap and water. 
• Apply an ice pack for 10 minutes to reduce the swelling and itching. Reapply the ice pack as needed. 
• Apply a mixture of baking soda and water, which can help reduce the itch response.Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with just enough water to create a paste.
• Apply the paste to any mosquito bites. 
• Wait 10 minutes then wash off the paste.
• Use an over-the-counter anti-itch or antihistamine cream to relive itching – follow the product label directions. 

Mosquito-borne Diseases

• Zika Virus 
• Zika virus is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes, and there is no indication that it can spread person to person through casual contact. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported several cases of Zika virus infection in non-travelers in the continental United States after their sexual partners returned from an affected area and developed symptoms.
• The disease has historically occurred in Africa, Southeast Asia and islands in the Pacific Ocean. In May 2015, Zika virus was found for the first time in the Western Hemisphere in northeastern Brazil. The virus has since spread through much of the Caribbean, Central America and South America. The CDC maintains an updated list of  affected countries and territories as well as associated  travel notices.
• Travel advisory for pregnant women: Because of the association between Zika virus infections in pregnant women and certain birth defects, CDC recommends that pregnant women consider postponing travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.
• More information on Zika virus and pregnancy is available on CDC’s website.
• West Nile Virus
• According the the CDC, West Nile Virus is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) most commonly spread by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. Infected mosquitoes will then have the ability to spread the virus to humans and other animals. It was first documented in North American in 1999 and outbreaks have been occurring every summer since 1999.
• West Nile Virus can cause febrile illness, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord). The incubation period is usually 2 to 6 days but ranges from 2 to 14 days. This period can be longer in people with compromised immune systems. Anyone living in an area where West Nile Virus is potentially at risk, although very few individuals develop symptoms. 
• More information on West Nile Virus is available on the CDC’s website.
• Chikungunya
• Eastern Equine Encephalitis
• La Cross Virus
• St. Louis Encephalitis

For more information or to visit the sources for this information: 

Ohio Department of Health 

CDC – Mosquitoes

U.S. EPA