Don't let insects ruin your holiday

We may have to deal with rain, but most of us are looking forward to a Memorial Day holiday Monday.

We hope you'll attend ceremonies nearest to you as part of your holiday as well as getting outdoors to enjoy a day off.

When you do get ready to head to the park or lake, be sure to grab the insect repellent.

That's always been a good idea, but it's especially true this year because two cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever have been reported in the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department district.

That includes Chase, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Hayes, Hitchcock, Keith, Perkins and Red Willow counties.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected tick. It can be severe or even fatal if not treated in the first few days of symptoms, according to Melissa Propp, SWNPHD Public Health Nurse.

She urged residents to see their doctor immediately if you have been bitten by a tick and experience any symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, fatigue and muscle pain. A rash may also develop after the first few days. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 10 percent of victims never develop a rash, but when they do, it's most often small, flat, pink, non-itchy spots on the wrists, forearms and ankles and spreads to the trunk.

It's a good idea to watch out for ticks all year round, but especially in warmer months when ticks are most active. Some suggestions include:

* Use repellents that contain 20-30% DEET on exposed skin and clothing for protection that lasts up to several hours.

* Parents should apply DEET products to their children, avoiding hands, eyes and mouth.

* Use products that contain permethrin on clothing, gear, and tents.

* Walk in the center of trails.

* Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.

* Mow lawns regularly, remove leaf litter/brush and prune low-lying bushes to let in more sunlight.

* Keep woodpiles in sunny areas off the ground.

If you think you've been somewhere where you might have come in contact with ticks, bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors, Propp said. It's easier to detect ticks crawling instead of attached, she said.

Conduct a full-body tick check of yourself and children as soon as you can. Examine gear and pets as soon as possible as well.

Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks.

Ticks are not the only biting insect to be concerned about, of course. Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus and even the increasing threat of Zika virus are of concern.

The CDC offers these suggestions when it comes to mosquitoes:

* Use insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin or IR3535. Some oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol products provides long-lasting protection.

* If you use both sunscreen and insect repellent, apply the sunscreen first and then the repellent.

* Do not spray insect repellent on the skin under your clothing; treat clothing with permethrin or purchase permethrin-treated clothing.

* When weather permits, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.

* Take extra care during peak mosquito biting hours and use repellent and protective clothing from dusk to dawn or consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times.

* Help reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home by emptying standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires, and birdbaths on a regular basis.

More information is available at swhealth.ne.gov or http://1.usa.gov/1WOBlxl