NEPA Vital Signs - Summer Fall 2018 - 8

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Feature

The
Pitfalls of Summer

Insect Bites and Stings

UMMER - IT USUALLY MEANS WARM
DAYS AND GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE.

Tick bites from the deer tick in our area can spread generally 3
different types of disease:

As we look forward to the days ahead, take care to
remember the medical issues that come along with good weather:

* Lyme disease, probably the best known, is a type of bacteria
that lives in the belly of the tick and gets regurgitated from
the tick into your skin at the time the tick separates from you.

Summer Illnesses
* Hand, Foot and Mouth is a disease characterized by painful
ulcers in the mouth and lesions on the hands and feet. This
results from an infection with the virus Coxsackievirus A 16.
The disease is mostly self limited over a few days, but if your
child has serious symptoms such as difficulty eating or drinking,
you should seek medical attention.

* Ehichiosis is another tick borne disease that infects the same
way as Lyme disease with similar symptoms and treatment.
* Babesiosis is another tick borne disease. This bacteria infects
the red blood cell. Although many people feel fine, others may
develop fever, chills, body aches and fatigue. This disease is
also diagnosed with a lab test and treated with antibiotics.

* Enteroviruses are another cause of illness with symptoms of a
runny nose and cough, but may also cause more severe symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. This will usually
resolve on its own, but occasionally treatment is needed to
control symptoms.

N E PA

Flying insects such as bees or mosquitoes can cause a few problems:
* Cellulitis is a local skin infection where skin becomes increasingly
painful, warm and red. Cellulitis usually requires an antibiotic.
* West Nile Virus is now seen in NEPA. Although the majority
of those infected will have no symptoms, others may go on
to develop fever, headache, and rash. A small percentage may
further go on to develop a severe infection called meningitis
which can lead to death.
8

VITAL SIGNS

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEPA Vital Signs - Summer Fall 2018