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Bobby Williams, 11, a fifth grader from Holly Springs, was named state winner of the fifth-grade category for the national ‘Fight the Bite' poster contest Thursday at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.
Williams received a cash prize. His entry was entered into the National Fight the Bite Poster Contest in the fifth-grade category. His poster is on display at www.fightthebitecontest.org and will be shared with public health educators and teachers nationwide for inclusion in educational materials.
"The interest and creativity that Mr. Williams showed in tick and mosquito awareness is astounding," said Terry L. Pierce, director of the Division of Environmental Health, which houses the state's Public Health Pest Management Section. "And I congratulate him on his achievement as well as the other students who submitted posters. The goal of this contest was to generate increased interest in ticks and mosquitoes as well as the diseases that they transmit, and encourage people to take appropriate measures to fight the bite."
Sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and the DEET Education Program, Washington, D.C., the annual contest invites fifth- and sixth-grade students to create posters that encourage children and adults to help protect against mosquito and tick bites and the diseases they can cause.
Pests like ticks and mosquitoes are more than annoying nuisances; they carry and can transmit diseases that can make a person seriously ill. According to the N.C. Division of Public Health, 515 cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever were reported in North Carolina in 2008. The state also has other tick-borne illnesses: last year, North Carolina had 59 reported cases of Lyme disease and 41 reported cases of ehrlichiosis.
La Crosse encephalitis is the most common mosquito-borne illness. La Crosse encephalitis is found mostly in western North Carolina. Two other mosquito-borne diseases, Eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile fever, are also found in North Carolina. While Eastern equine encephalitis is found largely in the eastern part of the state, West Nile fever is found statewide.
Pierce added that insect repellent is useful to deflect mosquitoes and ticks. The CDC recommends Environmental Protection Agency-registered repellents against mosquitoes - DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. Insecticides containing permethrin provide excellent protection against ticks but may only be used on clothing. Permethrin-containing products should never be used on bare skin. Repellants are intended for skin application. Consumers should look for products that contain the CDC-recommended ingredients, and should read and follow all label instructions.
Exposure to both mosquitoes and ticks also can be limited by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks. People should also check themselves and their families for ticks when they are in tick-prone areas.
www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/arbovirus
http://cdc.gov/westnile/deetonline.org
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By Jimmy jackson on 06/15 02:16 AM
This is really a achievement for a 11 year old... Mosquito is really a problem. It can cause diseases. To get some more knowledge on mosquitoes, refer http://www.zippy-health.com/mosquito-spit-to-do-the-magic/
By Wendy Station, President / Encephalitis Global on 06/12 04:15 PM
High five to Mr. Williams for taking an interest in raising awareness!
By Jessica barrows on 06/11 02:10 PM
I'm glad people are paying attention to Lyme Disease and more people are reporting on it. I found a great website of an athlete who was bitten in North Carolina by a tick carrying Lyme Disease: http://www.BeatLymeDisease.com
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