Insect Repellent News and Research

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Symptoms, first-aid treatments and prevention tips for insect bites

Whether they are invading your picnic, hitching a ride on your skin or just buzzing around your head, bugs are an annoying and unavoidable part of summer. Still, there are times when bugs are just a nuisance and times when they can cause serious illness or injury.

24 Jul 2013

Physician offers helpful tips to a healthy summer

Summer is officially here, and for many, so is the threat of sunburn, bug bites and allergies. Deepti Shivakumar, MD, family practice at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, offers some helpful tips to a healthy summer.

27 Jun 2013

Taking precautions to protect health during summer

Summer is a time for enjoying warm weather, but spending time outside also increases the risk of contracting serious conditions like Lyme disease, poison ivy rashes, West Nile virus and allergic reactions to bee stings.

31 May 2013

APIC offers tips to stay infection-free

Beyond the obvious—steering clear of runny noses and hacking coughs—the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) presents some other practical ways of staying infection-free.

8 Mar 2013

Tips to deal with bed bugs when traveling

As VIPs come to Charlotte, N.C., for the Democratic National Convention, some are being greeted by undesirable guests in their hotels. No, not protesters. Bed bugs. Reports of the little blood-suckers have been on the uptick in Charlotte, and they are a growing problem in the lodging industry throughout the country. The good news: Delegates, and anyone who travels, can take precautions against bed bugs—small insects that feed on human blood and are usually active at night when people are sleeping.

6 Sep 2012

Western Schools offers new 4th Edition West Nile Virus continuing education course for nurses

West Nile virus is showing up earlier and producing more severe cases than normal this year, and nurses must be able to recognize who is at risk and how to best protect against it, an expert at Western Schools said today.

3 Sep 2012

CDC reports worst West Nile virus outbreak in the U.S.

This past year's mild winter and wet spring could be contributing to the worst West Nile virus outbreak since the disease was first detected in the United States in 1999. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been more cases of the virus so far this year than any year. As of August 14, almost 700 cases had been reported across the nation, including 26 deaths. This year also marks the earliest reported case of West Nile virus in New Jersey.

18 Aug 2012

Ten tips to avoid or treat common medical problems in the outdoors

"Good fortune favors the well prepared," says Paul S. Auerbach, MD, a founder and past President of the Wilderness Medical Society and editor of Wilderness Medicine, 6th Edition, recently published by Elsevier. With some advance reading, individuals planning vacations or outdoor excursions can become familiar with adverse situations and be prepared to handle them.

19 Apr 2012

Tick-borne disease in US blood supply

A tick-borne infection known as Babesiosis, which can cause severe disease and even death, is becoming a growing threat to the U.S. blood supply, government researchers said on Monday.

6 Sep 2011

Researchers discover new tick-borne bacterium that causes ehrlichiosis in Wis., Minn.

A new tick-borne bacterium infecting humans with ehrlichiosis has been discovered in Wisconsin and Minnesota. It was identified as a new strain of bacteria through DNA testing conducted at Mayo Clinic.

4 Aug 2011

Tips to make family vacations less hazardous for kids and parents

Family vacations live in infamy. Sometimes it's for the lasting memories of family bonding and new wonders experienced together, and sometimes for the horrors of just trying to get to a destination.

29 Jul 2011

Checklist to stay healthy and active in summer

The summer is a great season for getting in shape. Whether by playing a sport, doing an aerobic exercise routine, or just returning to that familiar running path -- this is the time for activity.

2 Jul 2011

Summer safety tips to keep kids safe

Summer fun is in full swing, which coincides with an increase in bumps, bruises, scrapes and possibly worse. To keep kids safe, prevention and first-aid should be at the forefront of parents' minds this summer according to Dr. Karen Judy, Loyola University Health System pediatric safety expert and professor of pediatrics at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

23 Jun 2011

South Australian man succumbs to Murray Valley Encephalitis

A 27-year-old South Australian Riverland man has succumbed to Murray Valley Encephalitis (MVE) – a viral disease that is carried by mosquitoes. According to SA Health's chief medical officer Paddy Phillips, the man had been receiving hospital care for MVE since March.

3 May 2011

Murray valley encephalitis surfaces after 37 years

A fatal and severe form of mosquito borne viral brain infection has been detected in the Riverina Murray region of New South Wales. Murray Valley encephalitis has affected sentinel chicken flocks in the northern Victorian towns of Mildura, Robinvale, Kerang and Barmah as well in the New South Wales town of Tooleybuc, near Swan Hill. The virus has not been diagnosed in a Victorian for 37 years said Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Dr John Carnie. He said although the virus had not been detected in a human, Victorians living along the Murray River should avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

22 Feb 2011

Surge of mosquito borne disease in South Australia following wet weather

Rising water in the Murray River has caused a surge in mosquito-borne infections in South Australia. The water is rising in the Murray in SA as floodwaters move downstream from the eastern states.

2 Feb 2011

Queensland’s flooded residents warned against insect bites

The Queensland Health authorities have issued warnings to residents and tourists in the Emerald region regarding mosquitoes, biting midges (commonly known as sand flies) and black flies in areas affected by flooding. The Council insect control programs are helping with reducing the number of insects, say authorities but people still need to protect themselves to reduce the risk of being bitten in the next few weeks.

6 Jan 2011

Northern Territory reports worst mosquito plague ever

Authorities in Australia’s Northern Territory report the worst mosquito plague since records began in 1979. An organization helping homeless people in Darwin is distributing insect repellent and coils to combat the mosquito onslaught.

25 Oct 2010

Study on current insect repellants confirms need for better insect repellants

Fire up the citronella-scented tiki torches, and slather on the DEET: Everybody knows these simple precautions repel insects, notably mosquitoes, whose bites not only itch and irritate, but also transmit diseases such as West Nile virus, malaria and dengue. Now, Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered what it is in the bugs' molecular makeup that enables citronellal (the aromatic liquid used in lotions, sprays and candles) and DEET, to deter insects from landing and feeding on you. A better understanding of these molecular-behavioral links already is aiding the team's search for more effective repellants.

26 Aug 2010

Preventative measures to avoid Lyme disease

Research on the population of black-legged ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease from host animals to humans, reinforces that it is important to take preventative measures when spending time outdoors.

21 Jul 2010