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Symptoms / Origin |
First Aid / Prevention |
 SARS
Virus
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"Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome"
is a flu-like contagiuos corona virus which affects the lungs, originated
in China.
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Fever of over 100.4 degrees F [>38.0
degrees C] that is accompanied by a cough or difficulty breathing or that
progresses to a cough and/or difficulty breathing.
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Consult a health care provider.
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Simple covering of mouths before coughing,
avoidance of public exposure (including workplace and school) when you
have a fever or bad cold, and hand washing will all go a long way towards
keeping the public safe.
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West
Nile Virus
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"Encephalitis" means an inflammation
of the brain and can be caused by viruses and bacteria, including viruses
transmitted by mosquitoes.
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West Nile encephalitis is an infection
of the brain caused by West Nile virus, a flavivirus commonly found in
Africa, West Asia, and the Middle East. It is closely related to St. Louis
encephalitis virus found in the United States.
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West Nile virus is spread by the bite
of an infected mosquito. The virus can infect people, horses, many types
of birds, and some other animals.
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Mosquitoes become infected when they
feed on infected birds, which may circulate the virus in their blood for
a few days. After an incubation period of 10 days to 2 weeks, infected
mosquitoes can then transmit West Nile virus to humans and animals while
biting to take blood. The virus is located in the mosquito's salivary glands.
During blood feeding, the virus is then injected into the animal or human,
where it then multiplies and may cause illness.
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Most infections are mild and symptoms
include fever, headache, and body aches, often with skin rash and swollen
lymph glands. More severe infection may be marked by headache, high fever,
neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle
weakness, paralysis and, rarely, death.
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Consult a health care provider.
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Apply insect repellents to clothing
and skin, according to label instructions, to prevent mosquito bites. Apply
insect repellent containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) to exposed
skin whenever you are outdoors.
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When possible, wear long-sleeves, long
pants and socks when outdoors. Treat clothes with repellents containing
permethrin or DEET will give extra protection, since mosquitoes may bite
through thin clothing. Do not apply repellents containing permethrin directly
to skin. Do not spray repellent containing DEET on the skin under your
clothing.
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Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing
water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed
by getting rid of items that hold water.
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Wear gloves when handling and cleaning
wild game animals to prevent blood exposure to bare hands and meat should
be cooked thoroughly.
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Dead birds in an area may mean that
West Nile virus is circulating between the birds and the mosquitoes in
that area. Over 110 species of birds are known to have been infected with
West Nile virus. Although birds, particularly crows and jays, infected
with WN virus can die or become ill, most infected birds do survive.
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Vitamin B and "ultrasonic" devices are
NOT effective in preventing mosquito bites.
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St.
Louis
Encephalitis Virus
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St. Louis encephalitis is a major mosquito-borne
disease in the United States. It is one of a group of mosquito-borne virus
diseases that can affect the central nervous system and cause severe complications
and even death.
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St. Louis encephalitis is caused by
the St. Louis encephalitis virus, an arbovirus. Arbovirus is short for
arthropod-borne virus. Arboviruses are a large group of viruses that are
spread by certain invertebrate animals (arthropods), mainly blood-sucking
insects. In the United States, arboviruses are usually spread by infected
mosquitoes. Birds are often the source of infection for mosquitoes, which
can sometimes transmit the infection to animals and, in rare cases, people.
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Symptoms are usually mild and include
fever, headache, tiredness, and dizziness. In its more severe form, the
disease can cause convulsions and death.
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Consult a health care provider.
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If possible, stay inside between dusk
and dark. This is when the mosquitoes are most active in their search for
food.
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When outside, wear long pants and long-sleeved
shirts.
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Spray exposed skin with insect repellent
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Norwalk
Virus
(norovirus)
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Norwalk virus infection is an intestinal
illness that often occurs in outbreaks.
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The first recorded epidemic attributed
to Norwalk virus occured in an elementary school in Norwalk, Ohio, in 1968.
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Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses are
increasingly being recognized as leading causes of foodborne disease in
the United States.
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The viruses are passed in the stool
of infected persons. People get infected by swallowing stool-contaminated
food or water. Outbreaks in the United States are often linked to raw oysters.
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Infected people usually recover in 2
to 3 days without serious or long-term health effects.
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Nausea, Vomiting , Diarrhea, Stomach
cramps, Severe illness or hospitalization is uncommon.
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Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses have
been linked to outbreaks of intestinal illness on cruise ships and in communities,
camps, schools, institutions, and families.
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Wash hands with soap and warm water
after toilet visits and before preparing or eating food
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Cook all shellfish thoroughly before
eating.
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Wash raw vegetables before eating.
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Dispose of sewage in a sanitary manner.
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Ebola
Virus
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Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola HF) is
a severe, often-fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates (monkeys,
gorillas, and chimpanzees) that has appeared sporadically since its initial
recognition in 1976.
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The disease is caused by Ebola virus,
named after a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire)
in Africa, where it was first recognized.
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The incubation period for Ebola HF ranges
from 2 to 21 days.
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The onset of illness is abrupt and is
characterized by fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat,
and weakness, followed by diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. A rash,
red eyes, hiccups and internal and external bleeding may be seen in some
patients.
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Deer
Ticks
(Ixodes scapularis)
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Ticks are blood feeding external parasites
of mammals, birds, and reptiles throughout the world.
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In general, a high fever combined with
stiffness or arthritic symptoms can indicate Lyme disease.
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The best way to avoid Lyme disease is
to avoid deer ticks and western black-legged ticks.
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When you find a tick, use tweezers to
pick up the body and pull s-l-o-w-l-y and gently, and the mouthparts will
release.
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Ticks carry a lot of rickettsial diseases,
including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, so you should
wash your hands thoroughly with soap after handling a tick.
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Don't use any of the folklore remedies
(matches, cigarettes, pins, gasoline) that will irritate the tick. They
increase the likelihood that the tick will "spit up" in you, which increases
the risk of disease. Oil is not effective because the breathing requirements
of the tick are so small it could last hours covered with oil. The mouthpiece
is barbed rather than spiralled, so trying to rotate the tick out doesn't
provide any advantage.
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If you have left the head, chances are
there will be an infection or an abscess in a week or so. Try disinfecting
the area thoroughly with 70% alcohol (it takes about 5 minutes for alcohol
to sterilize an area). Ethyl alcohol is less toxic than rubbing alcohol;
vodka or any high-proof liquor will work, but good commercial antiseptic
cleansers are recommended. Then apply a combination antibiotic ointment.
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Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts
to minimize skin exposure to ticks.
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Tuck your pants into your socks to form
a barrier to tick attachment.
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Wear light-colored clothing to help
see ticks on your clothing.
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Check for ticks, looking particularly
for what may look like nothing more than a new freckle or speck of dirt.
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Early removal of an attached tick is
extremely important because it takes more than 24 hours for a tick to transmit
the bacteria. To remove a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers.
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Grasp the tick as close as possible
to the skin and slowly pull it straight out. The mouth parts may stay attached,
but do not be alarmed as these will not cause Lyme disease. After removal,
apply antiseptic or alcohol to the bite area. Do not apply mineral oil,
Vaseline, heat, or other agents to remove the tick. These practices do
not remove ticks and may actually increase your chance of infection by
causing the tick to excrete bacteria.
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If you remove a tick as soon as you
find it, it is very likely that the tick did not transmit the bacteria
Borrelia burgdorferi to you because it was not attached long enough for
transmission to occur. Your doctor may suggest watching the bite and waiting
to see if any symptoms occur instead of beginning treatment immediately.
If you begin to develop symptoms or a rash at the site of a tick bite,
contact your doctor right away.
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Biting
midges, (Ceratopogonidae)
No-See-Ums.
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Biting midges, also called no-see-ums
and punkies, are the smallest of the biting flies. The victim is seldom
aware of the fly's presence until it has already started to feed.
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There are approximately 700 species
of these tiny vampires worldwide. These malicious pests gather in
a cloud over your head, and are better known as gnats, punkies, and midges.
They prefer damp places, calm, humid days, and are more active at twilight
and early evening. Artificial lights have a strong attraction.
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Despite their almost invisible size,
their bite can pack a mean wallop. The females of some species are cannibalistic,
consuming their lovers.
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Poison
Ivy
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Poison
Oak
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Poison
Sumak
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Southern
copperhead, Copperhead,
Highland Moccasin, Chunkhead.
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Average adult size is 22-36 inches (56-91
cm), record is 53 inches (135 cm). A stout-bodied snake with broad, light
brown to gray crossbands, alternating with dark brown to reddish-brown
crossbands. Constrictions along the backbone give the dark bands an hourglass
shape. On the sides of the body the dark bands usually have light centers,
and occasionally one dark spot. Southern copperheads sometimes have an
overall pinkish tint. The top of head in front of the eyes is covered with
large plate-like scales. The pupil is elliptical, a catlike vertical slit.
There is a deep facial pit between the nostril and the eye.
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Cottonmouth,
Florida Cottonmouth,
Cottonmouth Moccasin, Water Moccasin,
Moccasin.
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Average adult size is 20-48 inches (51-121
cm), record is 74.5 inches (189 cm). A dark-colored, heavy-bodied snake.
Juveniles are brightly colored with reddish-brown crossbands on a brown
groundcolor. The dark crossbands contain many dark spots and speckles.
The pattern darkens with age so adults retain only a hint of the former
banding or are a uniform black. The eye is camouflaged by a broad, dark,
facial stripe. The head is thick and distinctly broader than the neck,
and when viewed from above, the eyes cannot be seen. The top of head in
front of the eyes is covered with large plate-like scales. The pupil is
vertical (catlike). There is a deep facial pit between the nostril and
the eye.
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Eastern
Diamondback Rattlesnake,
Diamondback, Rattlesnake, Rattler.
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Average adult size is 36-72 inches (91-183
cm), record is 96 inches (244 cm). A large, heavy-bodied snake with a row
of large dark diamonds with brown centers and cream borders down its back.
The ground color of the body is brownish. The tail ends in a rattle. The
tail is usually a different shade, brownish or gray, and toward the end
of the tail the diamonds fade out or break into bands. The large and thick
head has a light bordered dark stripe running diagonally through the eye
and there are vertical light stripes on the snout. The pupil is vertical
(catlike) and there is a deep facial pit between the nostril and the eye.
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Timber
Rattlesnake, Canebrake Rattlesnake.
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Average adult size is 36-60 inches (76-152
cm), record is 74.5 inches (189 cm). Can be a large, heavy bodied snake.
The reddish brown stripe running down the center of the back is disrupted
by a series of large, black, chevron-like crossbands on the pinkish gray
or tan body. The tail is uniform black. The head is large and sometimes
with a dark diagonal line through the eye or just behind the eye. The pupil
is vertical (catlike) and there is a facial pit between the nostril and
the eye. The tail ends in a rattle.
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Dusky
Pygmy Rattlesnake, Pygmy Rattler, Ground Rattler.
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Average adult size is 12-24 inches (30-61
cm), record is 31 inches (79 cm). This is a small snake, but very thick
for its size. The top of the triangular shaped head is covered with 9 large
scales. The body color is light to dark gray. A longitudinal row of black
or charcoal, transverse blotches disrupts a reddish brown stripe running
down the middle of the back. Dark spots on the side line up with the blotches.
The tail is slender and ends in a miniature rattle (see photo above). The
belly is heavily mottled with black and white. The pupil of the eye is
vertical (catlike), and there is a deep facial pit between the nostril
and the eye.
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Eastern
Coral Snake, Coral Snake.
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Average adult size is 20-30 inches (51-76
cm), record is 47.5 inches (121 cm). Body ringed with black, yellow, and
red; narrow yellow rings separating the wider red and black rings. The
rings continue across the belly of the snake. From tip of snout to just
behind the eye the head is black. The tail is black and yellow, without
any red rings. The red rings usually contain black flecks or spots. The
pupil is round.
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