A primer on summer safety

FDA Consumer, May-June, 2004 by Michelle Meadows

About 80 percent of people who get Lyme disease develop a large rash that looks like a bull's-eye. Baxley experienced other classic Lyme disease symptoms, such as muscle aches and stiff joints. His doctor also found a similar rash on Baxley's calf.

After a blood test confirmed Lyme disease, Baxley took the oral antibiotic doxycycline, followed by intravenous treatment with a second antibiotic called Rocephin (ceftriaxone). In addition to the physical symptoms, he is also experiencing depression for the first time. "The whole thing is frustrating," says Baxley. "It's taken a toll on the whole family."

Ticks are usually harmless. The biggest disease threat from tick bites is Lyme disease, which is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacteria are transmitted to humans by the black-legged deer tick, which is about the size of a pinhead and usually lives on deer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 23,763 cases of Lyme disease reported nationwide in 2002.

Another insect-borne illness, West Nile virus, is transmitted by infected mosquitoes and usually produces mild symptoms in healthy people. But the illness can be serious for older people and those with compromised immune systems. In 2002, there were 4,156 cases of West Nile virus in humans reported to the CDC. Less than 1 percent of people infected with West Nile virus develop severe illness. The symptoms are flu-like, and can include fever, headache, body aches, and skin rash.

What you can do: There are no vaccines on the market for West Nile virus or Lyme disease. If you're spending time in tall grass or woody areas, use insect repellent with DEET to ward off mosquitoes and ticks. But insect repellent should not be used on babies, and repellent used on children should contain no more than 10 percent DEET.

Check yourself and your children for ticks before bedtime. If you find a tick, remove it with tweezers, drop it in a plastic bag and throw it away. You don't have to save the tick to show it to doctors. People who want to get a tick tested for diseases or other information could check with their local health departments, but not all of them offer tick testing. The CDC recommends cleansing the area of the tick bite with antiseptic. Early removal is important because a tick generally has to be on the skin for 36 hours or more to transmit Lyme disease.

OTC antihistamines, such as Benadryl or Claritin, can bring itch relief. Topical anti-itch cream on the affected area also may help, especially for children, says Edward Lamay, M.D., a physician in the emergency department at Durham Regional Hospital in Durham, N.C. You may also want to keep their nails short. "Some kids scratch bites, break the skin, and then get a bacterial infection," Lamay says.

Bee Stings

In the summer of 2003, the Nebraska Poison Center in Omaha received a call about a 4-year-old girl who was stung on the tongue by a bee while sipping from a soda can. She was treated in the emergency room for swelling not only to the tongue, but to her lips and up to her eyes.