Summer fun? Beware of season's unique risks Published July 22, 2008 By Danielle Gregory Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., -- Summertime brings out the outdoors side of people as well as common diseases that stem from insect and animal bites as well as improperly stored or cooked foods. Infectious diseases kill more than 160,000 Americans each year and cost the United States approximately $120 billion per year, according to the Center for Disease and Control. Diseases that are seen more often during the summer months include West Nile Virus, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme disease, salmonella infection, rabies and any other infections that may occur from being bitten by an animal. Diseases from insects can be prevented by wearing DEET-containing insect repellant while outdoors. A major insect that has a serious threat are ticks. "All parts of the body should be checked for ticks, including armpits, behind the ears and the groin area," said 1st Lt. Amanda Huston, installation public health officer. Lieutenant Huston advised that there are certain known home remedies to not do when removing the tick, such as: crushing the tick's body, using nail polish remover, hot match to remove and petroleum jelly. The proper removal of a tick is highly important to reduce the likelihood that a disease is transmitted by the tick bite. Steps of removal include: removal of the tick as soon as it is noticed, using fine-tipped tweezers to pull tick upward, disposal of the tick in trash can and clean the skin with soap and warm water. "Don't be concerned if the tick's mouth parts are left behind when the body is removed; if the body of the tick is removed it can no longer transmit diseases," said Lieutenant Huston. Insect bites aren't the only dangerous bites. Wild and domesticated animal bites are prevalent in the summertime also due to the warm weather and animals being outside more often. The public health flight at Tinker investigated 27 animal bites in 2007, six of those required post-bite treatment. An average of three cases of human rabies a year was reported to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention during 2003-2007. "Rabies is a fatal disease for both humans and animals. Once symptoms are present in humans, there is no guaranteed effective treatment or cure," said Lieutenant Huston. "It is important for those who have been prescribed post-exposure treatment to complete the whole series as directed." When bitten by an animal, treatment should be immediate and not something that is put on hold. Rabies is spread by bites from an animal sick with rabies. Animals with rabies may behave aggressively and bite without reason. Lieutenant Huston suggests that a good way to avoid being bitten is by not attempting to separate fighting animals and avoiding contact with wild or stray animals... such as skunks and raccoons. Another common summer illness is salmonella poisoning, the cause of the improper storage or cooking of food. This year, 164 cases of salmonella poisoning was reported to the Oklahoma State Health Department. "This type of food poisoning can be prevented by ensuring food items are cooked thoroughly, washing hands before handling food, washing hands after handling raw meats or eggs and not using the same utensils for both raw and cooked food," said Lieutenant Huston. In any of the instances listed above, when a person isn't feeling well, health care should be sought immediately. Traveling is also a popular summer activity. Most people who travel and take vacations visit places they are un-familiar with. "For people planning to travel this summer, or any time of the year, the public health flight offers a travel medicine service. We urge people to stop by and let us brief them on any vaccinations necessary for their upcoming trip and provide them with further education on their destination," said Lieutenant Huston.