Insect-Borne Diseases: Be Aware!

Over at one of the Yahoo discussion groups, there has been some talk about the dangers of Lyme Disease. This is of particular interest to railfans and railroaders alike, as both groups of people spend a lot of time outdoors.

Indeed, Lyme Disease is serious business. It doesn't have to ruin your life if you catch it in time, but that is a very big "if", and like any disease, preventing it is the best way to go. I know several people in southern Maine who have gotten it just from enjoying their own back yards.

A good mosquito repellent with DEET as the main ingredient will help keep the ticks away. It'll also help protect you from other nasty insect-borne diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus, both of which have killed people in the northeast in recent years.

More info on EEE: http://www.cdc.gov/easternequineencephalitis/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

More info on West Nile: http://www.cdc.gov/westnile/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

More info on Lyme Disease: http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Be aware, protect yourself, and have a great spring and summer!

I'm bumping this topic as a gentle reminder to our readership, since I've heard reports that the Lyme Disease problem continues to get worse in New England.

Once again I'm bumping this topic. West Nile Virus and EEE are making headlines in New England again this summer, and an alert RAILROAD.NET member sent me some information about another insect-borne disease called anaplasmosis that has also been found in New England. Be careful, and don't forget the bug spray!

Time once again for your friendly reminder. Be careful and use bug spray. The fine people at Consumer Reports tested many of them and ranked them from best to worst:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/heal ... erview.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;