Myths About West Nile Virus to Avoid
As if mosquitoes weren't bad enough, now we have to worry about a whole new mosquito-borne illness. But don't let these myths about West Nile Virus lead you astray.
As with any new illness that emerges, the myths about West Nile Virus are proliferating faster than the disease. This is a big problem, because these myths can hurt you if you're not careful. For that reason, it's a good idea to educate yourself about the disease -- and we're here to help.
While we'd never offer you medical advice as such, we can make a few observations that will help you understand the reality of the West Nile Virus, and thus make more informed decisions about the situation. Here's the truth about four common West Nile myths.
Myth 1: West Nile Virus is so 2003. Nobody's getting sick from it anymore.
Really? Tell the CDC that. Despite this popular myth about West Nile Virus, in 2008 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded hundreds of human cases in the continental U.S., in all states except Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, North and South Carolina, and the District of Columbia.
Even those few states, with the exceptions of Maine and North Carolina, had recorded avian, animal or mosquito infections as of November 18, 2008. If you think West Nile is extinct in the U.S., you're fooling yourself. Just because it's not mentioned much in the media doesn't mean it's gone.
Myth 2: Children are in the most danger from West Nile Virus.
This myth about West Nile Virus seems logical enough, but it's not borne out by statistics. So far, very few children have come down with the illness in the United States. People over 50 seem to be at the most risk, and are most likely to die from the illness.
It's hard to say whether this is because of some biological reason or for behavioral reasons. In any case, it's a good idea to avoid mosquito bites whenever you can, since they're painful and can result in infections other than West Nile. Here are some pointers on how to do that.
Myth 3: If you rub your baby with fabric softener sheets, West Nile mosquitoes won't bite her.
Does this myth about West Nile Virus sound silly to you? Well, it should. Once it became widely known that DEET (the active ingredient of the best mosquito repellents) shouldn't be applied to baby's skin, some doofus decided that fabric softener sheets were OK instead. Nope, they're useless for that.
The truth is, even gentler products like citronella (the trendy alternative to DEET) are bad for baby's skin -- and making baby eat garlic won't do diddly-squat. If mosquitoes are a problem, you'll be better off dressing baby in light-colored clothing and covering the stroller with mosquito netting when venturing outside.
Myth 4: Only people who are already sick or frail will get West Nile Virus.
Wrong. Healthy, active adults of all ages have contracted West Nile Virus. As mentioned earlier, this is especially the case for people over 50, for reasons still not entirely understood. Don't let this insidious myth among many myths about West Nile Virus keep you from taking the proper precautions against mosquito bites.
