Jamie Stalker, HEW Director
by Jamie Stalker, Director, Health and Employee Wellness
During the long winter months, we look forward to this time of year when we can get outside and enjoy nature and the warm weather. However, summertime brings with it some insect-borne health concerns that can be reduced with the proper precautions.
A handful of employees have suffered insect bites or stings that resulted in infections or unusual reactions. Health and Employee Wellness staff has been in contact with the DuPage County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health to determine if additional study is needed.
These incidents may have been caused by ticks. Please review this website and make sure you are up to date on the tick-borne illnesses in Illinois and surrounding states. Some species of ticks not seen before in northern Illinois are migrating this way due to milder winters and increasing temperatures.
Contact me directly at jstalker@anl.gov if you currently have, or have had in the last two months, a rash or lesion that:
- Suddenly appears (typically as a large bruise or blood blister that feels itchy or burning), whether or not you are aware of a bug bite in that area
- Rapidly becomes worse with redness and swelling over eight to 24 hours
- Feels warm or hot to touch
- Is associated with a fever
I’ll ask for additional information. If the symptoms fit the profile, I’ll report the information confidentially to the county and state health departments. Those agencies may follow up with you as part of their investigation.
The best way to prevent tick bites is to wear light-colored clothing and hats to make ticks more visible. Use insect repellent with 20 percent or more of DEET and reapply regularly. This will also protect you from mosquito bites. Check yourself for ticks after being outside. If you have dogs or cats that go outside, be sure they wear tick protection as well and perform tick checks on them before they come into your home. Sleeping with your pets may introduce ticks into your blankets and sheets and increase your likelihood of a nighttime bite.
Tomorrow: Five things you need to know about the Zika virus.