Mosquito and Tick spread diseases are on the rise, causing our awareness, and self-reliance.to rise to the occasion.

"If you think you are too small to make a difference, Try sleeping with a mosquito"
Dalai Lama

Especially a Mosquito in a tent.

Since 2004 the number of people contracting diseases spread by Ticks' and Mosquitos has tripled. Some of the diseases have been recently introduced, others are the old standbys'.  In this article, I focus on Mosquitos' and Ticks.

What Tick diseases are on the increase?

*New Heartland Virus: Spread by infected Ticks to people. The virus has been recognized in the Southern and Midwestern United States. Symptoms of being infected are like other tickborne infections. Fever, headaches, fatigue, sore muscles, and diarrhea. Exhibiting flu-like symptoms, there are no vaccines or medications to battle the Heartland Virus infections. Sufferers commonly have lower white blood cell counts (infection-fighting cells), as well as lower than normal platelets counts (aides in blood clotting.) Increased Liver Enzymes levels are often the case. The time it takes for the disease to incubate after the initial Tick bite is not known for certain. Most patients report being bitten within the two weeks prior to seeking medical care. A few Patients have died, most fully recover. It is of the utmost importance to seek medical care as soon as possible after experiencing a Tick bite. 

The origin of the New Heartland Virus is unknown at this time. It was discovered in Northwestern Missouri by Dr. Scott Folk of Heartland Regional Medical Center in Saint Joseph. Two farmers living 60 miles apart sought medical care with the same symptoms. Fever, fatigue, diarrhea Thrombocytopenia (Low Platelet levels), and Leukopenia (a decrease in White blood cell levels). The Lone Star Tick spreads the virus when feeding on blood. More than 20 cases have been reported in the United States, including two deaths. All of the reported cases are from five States: Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.  Most of the cases are reported by people who spend time outdoors in heavily Tick populated areas, between the months of May and September.

Prior to going outdoors in areas where the New Heartland Virus is known to be carried by ticks, some preventative measures should be employed. Cover the body with full-length pants, and long sleeve shirts. Avoid areas with tall weeds, grass, and wooded areas. It is recommended to apply Deet containing Tick repellents. Deet is not consistent in the repelling of Ticks, none the less it should be applied to both body and equipment. Check the body regularly while outside, remove any Tick immediately. Using a tweezer with a small tip, remove the pest by gripping the head. Grabbing it by the body may squeeze viruses into the wound, or the head may burrow through the skin. Pain relief medications are the only treatment, antibiotics do not work against viruses. (Link to more on the Heartland Virus.)

Even though the reported cases of New Heartland Virus are low, there is the chance exposure may and infection may increase.

*Lyme Disease is on the increase, and it is spreading fast.  Between 2004 and 2016 the reported cases of Lyme Disease have tripled. Of the 642,000 reported cases of Mosquito, Tick, and Flea spread illnesses studied during the thirteen-year investigation. (2004-2016) 77% were from Ticks, of that 82 % were diagnosed with Lyme Disease. Researchers believe the actual number of Lyme disease is close to 300,000 per year, however, 19,800 to 36,430 have been reported. 90% of reported Lyme Disease instances occur in the Northeast, Upper Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic, with the number of counties now designated high risk has increased in excess of 320% since the late 1990's. Following is a list of little-known facts about Lyme Disease:

Typical Lyme Disease Rash.

1) It is the most common vector-borne disease ( Vector: an insect or other organisms that transmits a pathogenic fungus, virus, bacterium.) Lyme is more common than the West Nile or Zika virus. (the later virus is transmitted by Mosquitos' where Lyme is spread by Ticks.)  Borrelia burgdorferi affects humans through bites from Ticks after moving through a host of other species. They crawl onto us after being attracted by warmth and the carbon dioxide we expel. They are unable to fly or jump, gaining access to us when we brush against them while walking through tall grass, heavy undergrowth, or playing in fields. It is thought by many a Tick needs to stay attached to the skin for a period of between 24-26 hours. One thing is clear, the longer it stays attached the risk of infection increases.

2) Lyme Disease is tough to diagnose. On a personal level, I exhibited the symptoms of Lyme Disease in the late 1970's. One symptom was the bulls-eye rash that was on my lower thigh. In those day's I was an avid backpacker often hiking through high grasses, weeds, and thick undergrowth. I was raised in Minnesota and although Lyme disease was rarely contracted I was aware of what the rash looked like. The Doctor I saw simply stated, "There is no Lyme Disease-carrying Ticks in the Sierra Nevada's." I asked him what else it could be to which he did not have an answer. I have always had Rheumatoid Arthritis so the aches and pains were ignored. I carried on with my life, suffering no further symptoms or complications that I know of.

30% of the people infected do not get the rash, and cannot recall being bitten by a Tick. Blood tests to detect Lyme's look only for the Lyme disease antibodies meaning the person's immune system fought off the attack. There is no good test to detect an active infection, so it appears the diagnosis is dependent on vague clinical symptoms. Lyme disease has become a sort of "Catch all" for people suffering the symptoms with no diagnosis pinpointing the B. burgdorferi bacteria. "Chronic" Lyme Disease is used to attribute medically unexplained symptoms explaining an unknown malady.

There are several reasons Lyme Disease is becoming more common:
* Changes in land use, reforestation of farmland.
* Hunting protections on Deer, enabling the carriers of the "Deer Tick" to increase the population.
* Suburbanization more people are living near animals carrying Lyme Disease.
* Climate change, areas are staying warmer longer
* Lyme awareness has risen, people being more aware of the symptoms increase medical visits.

Illnesses spread by the Mosquito which are on the rise:

I can't write an article about Mosquito's without a picture of one. It's a rare person to have never
seen one. 

Chikungunya (bending up disease) discovered in Tanzania in 1953 it is a disease spread to humans by the Aedes Mosquito. The name translates to "that which bends up", the posture of the suffering patients. The symptoms include fever, arthralgia, (joint pain) and rash. Full recovery is the norm, however, chronic arthritis is not rare. There is no anti-viral treatment or a vaccine. Chikungunya has been the cause of many epidemics in Asia and Africa, imported cases have been reported in Asia, Australia, USA, Canada, and the Continental European Union. Italy experienced the first infection in 2010 and in 2014 autochthonous was reported in France. December 2013 it rose in the Caribbean and spread rapidly to the Americas. The virus is now spread to the entire tropical regions of America, Africa, and Asia.
(Follow this Link to the CDC's paper on Chikungunya)

Chikungunya incubation period ranges from 1-12 days, averaging 3-7. Fever, chills, headache, myalgia (muscle pain), nausea, photophobia (light sensitivity) crippling joint pain, and petechial (small red spots on the skin) or maculopapular rash. (small red bumpy rash). The acute phase usually lasts for a period of about 10 days, the chronic phase may last for many years, characterized by recurring joint pain, it affects 30-40% of the infected people. It is generally considered not to be fatal, deaths have been attributed to the virus. There is no anti-viral drug available, the non-steroid anti-inflammatory therapy being the normal treatment.

Control, prevention, and personal protection. Common prevention techniques used for personal protection against Mosquitos is prudent. A description of personal protection is listed below.

The Zika Virus was stopped with pesticides in Miami, the only City known to end an outbreak. Zika likeChikungunya (above), is spread by the Aedes Mosquitoes. People suffering from the virus display symptoms of mild fever skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle/joint pain, and malaise (discomfort with the cause being hard to identify.) or a headache. It is the cause of microcephaly (when the baby is born with a small head.) and Guillain-Barre syndrome. (a condition when the bodies immune system attacks the nerves.)
(Follow this Link for more information on the Zika virus.)
First discovered in Uganda in 1947, through a network monitoring Yellow Fever, it was first diagnosed in monkeys. In 1952 it was first discovered in humans, Uganda and Tanzania, since then outbreaks of the virus have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. Typically accompanied by mild illness it was found across Africa and Asia from the  1960's-1980's. 2007 in the small Island of Yap, (Federated States of Micronesia) the first large outbreak of Zika was reported.

The symptoms of Zika include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise and headache. Usually being mild these symptoms last between 2-7 days. The disease is transmitted to people when an infected  Aedes aegypti mosquito bites them usually during the day. This is the same mosquito that transmits the Dengue, Chikungunya and yellow fever. Blood transfusions and sexual transmission are also possible. The diagnosis is possible only through laboratory testing of the blood, urine, saliva or semen. There is no treatment other than for patients to get lots of rest, drink fluids, and take aspirin or other over the counter pain medications. There are no vaccines available.

Universal protection from Mosquito bites. 
Prevention is the same protection against mosquito bites as practiced over the world. Aedes mosquitoes will bite in both indoor and outdoor settings. Personal protection measures must be utilized every day but most notably during mid-morning, late afternoon, and the evening hours.
Personal protection measures must be taken in risk areas with the use of repellents as well as wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Mosquitos thrive in the tall wet grass. the use of insecticidal treated mosquito bed nets is essential for protection from mosquitos bites.
Controlling breeding sites consisting of wet, and stagnant pools of water are prudent.
Repellent use for adults and children over the age of 3 years is a necessity.

This little guy knows the score.

There are numerous other diseases carried and spread by Mosquitos', this article does not address most of them. The intent is to raise awareness to enable people to be self-reliant enough to recognize when they or a loved one may be in danger of contracting a serious illness. It is our duty to take it upon ourselves to ensure we as individuals are doing everything we are able to do to keep the spread of diseases to a minimum. As travel becomes more common it is prudent for all of us to recognize the dangers that may be lurking in some of the exciting places of which we visit worldwide. The faster travel is, the better communications are, and the more social interactions we partake of make it prudent for each of use to prepare for the possibility of contracting a rare, or common illness.

Thank you for reading and sharing this article. I began with the intent to write about Ticks lurking in the areas around our homes. That will be my next article. Thanks again.

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com