TICKBORNE DISEASES REMAIN A THREAT
Posted
5/9/2012
by
krauter@co.wood.wi.us
These steps can help prevent tick bites and reduce the chance of getting tickborne diseases:
• Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter since ticks prefer these areas. Stay to the center of a trail to avoid contact with grass and brush.
• Use effective tick repellents and apply according to the label instructions. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using repellents with 20% DEET on exposed skin and clothing to prevent tick bites. Adults should apply repellents to children, taking special care to avoid spraying in the hands, eyes, and mouth. Repellents that contain permethrin can also be applied to clothing.
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• Wear clothes that will help shield you from ticks. Long-sleeved shirts and long pants are best. Tuck your pants into the top of your socks or boots, to create a “tick barrier.” Light-colored clothing makes ticks easier to spot.
• 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. Continue to remove leaf litter and clear tall grass and brush around houses throughout the summer.
• Check your body frequently for ticks, and remove them promptly. Blacklegged ticks are small and may be difficult to find so careful and thorough tick checks must be done on all parts of the body. It is important to pay special attention to areas where ticks tend to hide such as the head, scalp, and body folds (armpit, behind the knee, groin).
• Remove attached ticks slowly and gently, using a pair of thin-bladed tweezers applied as close to the skin as possible. Folk remedies like petroleum jelly, nail polish remover, or burning matches are not safe or effective ways to remove ticks.
• Protect your pets from tick bites by checking your dog or cat for ticks before allowing them inside. While a vaccine can prevent Lyme disease in pets, it will not stop the animal from carrying infected ticks into the home. Speak to your veterinarian about topical tick repellant available for pets.
Whooping Cough Cases in Wood County
Posted
2/1/2012
by
cmarkworth@co.wood.wi.us
The website linked below features a couple current video's of children with pertussis (whooping cough).
During 2011, Wood County had 69 confirmed, 4 probable and 62 suspect cases of pertussis.
Vaccination against pertussis is still the best tool we have to control this disease!
Bird Found Positive for West Nile Virus in Wood County
Posted
2/1/2012
by
cmarkworth@co.wood.wi.us
The Wood County Health Department reports a dead crow found in Wood County on September 7th, 2011, has tested positive for West Nile virus. This is the first bird testing positive for West Nile virus in Wood County since surveillance for the mosquito-transmitted virus began May 1.
For more information about West Nile virus in Wood County please see the Press Release linked below.
Pertussis in Wood County
Posted
2/1/2012
by
cmarkworth@co.wood.wi.us
Please review the following document for information about Pertussis (Whooping Cough) in Wood County.
Hepatitis C Increase in Wood County
Posted
2/1/2012
by
cmarkworth@co.wood.wi.us
The Wood County Health Department is investigating a significant increase in Hepatitis C cases in people under the age of 30. Lincoln, Langlade, Oneida, Portage and Marathon counties have also experienced a similar increase. These new cases appear to be due to the use of injection drugs. Approximately 12,000 people die each year from complications of liver disease due to Hepatitis C. Nationally, it is estimated that 35 – 70% of injection drug users are already infected with Hepatitis C. Younger users are more likely to become infected during the first two years of drug use.
You should be tested for Hepatitis C if you:
• Have ever injected or used street drugs, even if it only happened once.
• Are a sex partner of an injection drug user.
• Have exchanged sex for drugs or money.
• Received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992.
• Received a blood product for clotting problems before 1987.
• Were ever on long-term kidney dialysis.
• Have evidence of liver disease.
• Have HIV.
Please call the Wood County Health Department at (715) 421-8911 or (715) 387-8646 for further information and testing options.
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