June 2006

According to the Center for Disease Control, chances are low that one mosquito bite could lead to serious illness, including the West Nile Virus. But as summer nears and the mosquito population grows, why take chances unnecessarily? A few simple steps can help reduce the risk.

Here are some tips suggested by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to reduce the job-related risk of infection for outdoor workers.

• When possible, avoid scheduling outdoor work when mosquitoes are most active and biting usually at dusk and dawn.
• Some mosquitoes also are active during the day, particularly in weedy, brushy and wooded or shaded areas, so these locations should be avoided when possible.
• Eliminate as many sources of stagnant water as possible because this is where mosquitoes breed. Turn over, cover or remove such equipment as barrels, buckets and wheelbarrows; discard items such as tires, cans and containers; and clean out rain gutters and ditches.
• If work is performed in areas where mosquitoes may be biting, workers should wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks when possible, and should spray their clothing and exposed skin with repellents, following directions on the label. DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide or N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) is the most effective insect repellent available. The more DEET a repellent contains the longer it will be effective; however, DEET concentrations higher than 50 percent do not increase the length of protection. Repellents should be used at the lowest effective concentration and not applied to cuts, wounds or irritated skin.

Additional NIOSH recommendations and information on risk factors and resources are available at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/westnile.