Swatting away summer pests

Villages take measures against mosquitoes and ticks

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Summer is a time for barbecues and trips to the beach, but it is also the season when insects such as ticks and mosquitoes can be more than bothersome and become health hazards. To help ensure that residents can enjoy the outdoors, two Five Towns villages are taking preventive measures.

The Village of Lawrence — and particularly the area known as Back Lawrence, south of Broadway — has a recurring mosquito problem. Officials said that they plan to step up their efforts from last year, when they laid out bait in black box traps, by adding 20 more of the traps and moving them where they are needed most. Village officials also said that aerial spraying for mosquito larvae, which began in mid-May is scheduled every two weeks, through Oct. 2.

Lawrence Mayor Alex Edelman noted that mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. “We will send people around to fill potholes so they don’t fill with water, but people should also eliminate any pools of stagnant water on their property,” he said.

Ticks are normally found in more wooded, undisturbed areas where there is high grass. With many more people outside during the summer months, and given the increase in the number of events at Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park — including Cedarhurst’s Tuesday-night concert series — Mayor Benjamin Weinstock said that preventive measures would be taken. “As an extra precaution, we will be using some organic anti-tick products on the lawns and park,” he said.

Common sense — and the use of technology — can help people avoid getting bitten, explained Mike Deutsch, an entomologist with Arrow Exterminating in Lynbrook. “The best way to not get bitten is to stay out of infested areas of high grass,” he said. “Google can tell you where it’s particularly bad.”

Ticks have also become a major health issue across Long Island, and there are three types to look out for: deer ticks, dog ticks and lone star ticks. All may carry Lyme and other diseases. If you live or work where ticks are abundant, Deutsch also recommends wearing long pants and sleeves, using insect repellent with at least a 20 percent concentration of DEET, and duct-taping your ankles to keep ticks off.

If you are bitten by a tick, Deutsch said, don’t just pull its body, which could leave the head beneath the skin. “Use fine tweezers right at the point it’s attached,” he said, “and with a little pressure move it back and forth … if you can save the tick to have it examined.” A physician may be able to test the tick for disease.

There are organic sprays that can keep these pests away from your property, and Deutsch suggested another simple preventive measure for mosquitoes. “Putting box fans outside to create an air curtain can keep them away,” he said. “They’re not strong flyers.”

The Zika virus made headlines last year, but according to the New York State Department of Health, all 859 cases that were reported here originated outside the state. In contrast, there were 542 mosquito pools in the state that tested positive for West Nile virus in 2016, and 20 human cases of the disease. While most of them were symptom-free, in rare cases the mosquito-borne illness can lead to serious neurological issues, particularly in the very young and the elderly. Symptoms can include fever, headache, fatigue and nausea, and because there is no vaccine or treatment beyond supportive care, prevention is the best option.

There were 44 cases of Lyme disease in Nassau County in 2015, the most recent year for which data is available. It is caused by a bacteria carried by ticks, and if left untreated can lead to partial facial paralysis, joint pain and heart palpitations. The primary symptom is an expanding rash, but signs of an infection can also include fever, headaches and fatigue.

Cases of the Powassan virus, which is also transmitted through tick bites but rarer than Lyme, have also risen in recent years. Overall, 75 cases have been reported nationwide in the last decade, 16 of them in New York State, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Powassan is considered more severe, and can be transmitted from tick to human in just minutes, in contrast with Lyme disease, which can take up to two days. Like Lyme, symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting and fatigue, though they may not begin for weeks. There are no vaccines or specific treatments for Powassan, and it can lead to swelling of the brain and spinal cord, memory problems, difficulty walking or speaking and even seizures, medical officials said, adding that those who are diagnosed with it should be hospitalized as soon as possible.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer helped pass the 21st Century Care Act last December, which included measures to counter what he contends will be one of the worst summers for tick-borne illnesses in years. “Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases are in a sprint to spread this summer,” Schumer said in a statement, “but the federal response to combat this trend is moving along at a snail’s pace. We must do more and we must do more now to protect kids and families.”