Salem Observer : Salem, pembroke

Symptoms, treatment and prevention for bug-born illnesses

Salem Editor — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:15:00 GMT

EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS

Although Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, has not been detected in samples taken from around New England this year, officials urge that care be taken to avoid contracting this viral disease, considered to be one of the most deadly mosquito-borne diseases in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site.

Symptoms in humans tend to take three to 10 days to develop after a bite from an infected mosquito. Many people who contract EEE have no apparent illness. In those who do get sick, symptoms range from mild flu-like illness to inflamation of the brain, coma and death. The mortality rate in those who become ill is about one-third.

People older than 50 and younger than 15 seem to be most susceptible, and also those who work or play in areas where the disease is present, mainly in freshwater hardwood swamps in the Atlantic Coast and Gulf states, and also in the Great Lakes region.

The number of cases is small, mainly because people don’t live close to swampy areas where the mosquitoes live. About 220 cases have been cited in the United States between 1964 and 2004.

There is no human vaccine for the virus, but people can take precautions, such as using an EPA-registered repellent, wearing protective clothing, avoiding outdoor activity when mosquitoes are active – some carriers are aggressive day-biters, according to CDC – and removing standing water where mosquitoes can breed.

Although there is no specific treatment for EEE, medical care can include nursing care, physical therapy and prevention of secondary infections.

About half of those who survive the EEE will have mild to severe neurological damage. – Information from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov.

LYME DISEASE

Lyme disease is fairly easy to prevent if you know you have been where ticks live and look for the pest or evidence of its bite. However, for those unaware of the tick bite, Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed, causing longterm illness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Infection (CDC) says Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium carried by blacklegged ticks.

According to their Web site, “Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks; laboratory testing is helpful in the later stages of disease. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics.”

The rash typically has a bullseye pattern, and shows up between three and 30 days after the bite. Patients also experience symptoms of fatigue, chills, fever, headache, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes. In some cases, these may be the only symptoms of infection, according to the CDC.

Left untreated, Lyme disease can progress to loss of muscle tone, severe headaches and shooting pains, arthritis, joint pain and swelling.

If you’re bitten

Try to avoid areas with ticks, and checking for ticks if you have been outdoors. Discourage deer from coming onto your property, as they carry the ticks that harbor the Lyme bacteria.

The CDC recommends pulling a tick off as soon as it’s found, using tine-tipped tweezers as close to your skin as possible. Pull straight up. Clean the skin with warm soap and water. Don’t use petroleum jelly, a hot match, nail polish or other products.

If the tick has been attached to your skin for less than 24 hours, your chance of getting Lyme disease is very small, but the bitten area should be watched closely.

WEST NILE VIRUS

Pesky mosquito bites are irritating and in some cases, though rare, can cause West Nile virus.

But, the right conditions have to occur for someone to contract the virus.

The West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito that has fed on an infected bird. The infected mosquito then bites a human and transmits the infection.

The risk of contracting the infection is low but can be a serious threat to seniors, young children and those with poor immune systems.

West Nile virus can also be spread to people through blood transfusions and organ transplants from infected donors. And, pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers infected with West Nile virus could possibly pass it to their baby.

Symptoms

Illness typically occurs within three to 15 days after someone has been bitten by an infected mosquito.

The majority of people who become ill have no symptoms, though others may experience mild, flu-like symptoms – fever, headache and body aches, often with a skin rash and swollen lymph glands.

In a small percentage of people, more severe infections can cause headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, paralysis and, sometimes, death.

There is no known transmission from birds to people, however, you should not handle birds or any dead animals with your bare hands.

There is no specific treatment for West Nile virus.

Prevention is key

While mosquitoes are active beginning in June, people should be thinking about prevention through Oct. 20.

In warm weather, mosquitoes can breed in any puddle that lasts more than four days. According to the state Department of Health and Human Services, residents can help prevent West Nile virus by following these guidelines:

• Eliminate standing water and other mosquito-breeding locations around your property – Remove old tires that can collect water; dispose of tin cans, plastic and ceramic pots; drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers that are left outside; make sure roof gutters are clean and drain properly; clean and chlorinate swimming pools and hot tubs; aerate garden ponds or stock them with fish; change water in birdbaths at least twice weekly.; and turn over plastic wading pools when not in use.

• Secure your home – Make sure that doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace all screens in your home that have tears or holes.

• Protect yourself from mosquito bites – If outside during evening and dawn hours when mosquitoes are most active and likely to bite, children and adults should wear protective clothing such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts and socks.

Use an effective insect repellent, such as one containing DEET. Repellents that contain Picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus have also been determined effective against the virus. Vitamin B, ultrasonic devices, incense and bug zappers have not been proven effective in preventing mosquito bites.

Since West Nile virus was first seen in the U.S. in 1999, in Queens, N.Y., states across New England have been tracking the occurrence of illnesses and the number of reported dead birds tested that could carry the virus.

This year, the West Nile virus has not been identified in New Hampshire, though 2,131 mosquito pools, one horse sample and 56 human samples have been tested so far. In 2007, no specimens tested positive for West Nile virus.

In 2003, three human cases were reported in New Hampshire. Facts about West Nile and other mosquito-borne diseases, the handling of dead birds and information about communities under declared public health threat can be found at www. dhhs.nh.gov or call the toll-free West Nile virus information line at (866) 273-6453.

– Source: New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Web site, www.dhhs.nh.gov.

Bug battle - Most towns can’t afford disease-prevention measures

Salem Editor — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:02:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

As warm summer weather entices people to spend more time outside, state health officials are warning residents to be more aware of the big dangers that lie in wait in the tiniest of organisms.

Jason Stull, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ public health veterinarian, said that right now marks the tail end of prime time for ticks and just the beginning for mosquitoes.

Ticks are out in droves during the months of June and July, while mosquitoes thrive in July and August during dawn and dusk.

That means anyone spending time outdoors is exposed to an increased risk for three diseases: West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and Lyme disease.

The symptoms for both EEE and West Nile are very similar and are very close to the symptoms of the common flu. Those who come down with severe cases of either of these mosquito-borne illnesses can expect to have a pounding headache and fever lasting several days. They can even go into a coma. Both diseases can be fatal, especially EEE, Stull said.

“About 30 percent of people who contract EEE die,” he said.

There are about 47 types of mosquitoes in the state, but only a handful of those are capable of carrying EEE. There’s really no way of knowing which species has landed on your skin to take a bite.

Lyme disease, transmitted by the blacklegged tick – commonly called the deer tick – also comes on like a flu, with symptoms including fever, fatigue, headache and a skin rash starting at the bite area.

The lower part of the state is rampant with deer ticks, Stull said.

“In Southern New Hampshire, about 50 percent or more of the ticks that we sampled in 2007 were positive for Lyme disease,” Stull said.

About 892 people in the state contracted Lyme in 2007, he said.

The best way for individuals to protect themselves against ticks and mosquitoes is to wear insect repellent with DEET as well as protective clothing. Both mosquitoes and ticks love damp areas, so steering clear of wet areas is another precaution.

b>What towns are doing

While there is little municipalities can do to fight ticks, there are ways of diminishing mosquito populations – if the town can pay for it.

Estimates for mosquito prevention and spraying run around $25,000 to $100,000, depending on what the town does and how large the town is.

Many towns have started to adopt the practice of injecting catch basins and breeding grounds with larvicide. This is when a synthetic chemical, usually a common one called BTI, is poured into the standing water for the mosquito larvae to eat. This is typically done in the spring to get the mosquitoes before they hatch.

According to Salem health officer Brian Lockard, Salem uses larvicides in certain areas and, depending on state lab testing on mosquitoes, decides whether or not to spray later in the summer. It’s important to inject larvicide early on, said Lockard, because when the larvae get to their final stage, they stop eating.

If signs of EEE or West Nile show up, the town will consider spraying fields, woodlands and other public areas for adult mosquitoes, which is less environmentally friendly than the larvicide approach.

The entire program, from doing the larvicide, to trapping and testing mosquitoes and spraying for adults, can cost the town roughly $47,000, Lockard said. Rockingham County is considered a hotbed for mosquitoes, Lockard said, because of the amount of wetlands and thus prime breeding grounds.

“We’re getting into that period of time in the summer where you start to see the EEE showing up in mosquitoes,” Lockard said. “If we do find the virus, then we’ll consider doing the adult spraying,” he added.

The town of Salem has four state-installed mosquito traps, Lockard said, but is not at liberty to say where they are, due to public misunderstanding and possible overreaction.

Windham also uses the larvicide approach, and upon state results, the Board of Selectmen decides whether or not to spray. They have not decided to spray this year, but did last year and the year before, said Planning Director Al Turner. The areas typically sprayed are the edges of the woods around the schools and public parks, he said.

The biggest threat falls in the late summer and fall, Turner said.

Windham Town Administrator David Sullivan said it costs about $25,000 for the larvicide every year, and the spraying can cost about $5,000.

Pelham Town Administrator Thomas Gaydos said they have also taken the larvicide approach this year, and are monitoring mosquito trappings.

The town would prefer not to spray for adults, given the harmful effects the chemical contained in some of the sprays can cause in people, animals and plants.

“The town would prefer not to spray but will if the situation warrants it,” said Gaydos.

He emphasized the importance of wearing DEET-based insect repellent when outside. Both the proactive (larvicide) and reactive (adulticide) measures are expensive. That’s why a lot of towns choose not to do anything about the mosquito problem but keep the public informed of the hazards they need to avoid during the summer months.

Hooksett Town Administrator David Jodoin said money has never been put into the budget for something like that.

“It’s controversial for a lot of people. Some people want the spraying done, some think it’s only going to hit in secluded areas,” Jodoin said, pointing out the effects the sprays can have on the environment.

Auburn Town Administrator Bill Herman said the issue of spraying has never really been raised in town, but added the parks and recreation department is considering the feasibility of spraying some of the baseball fields near wetlands.

“Spraying in and of itself won’t accomplish a whole lot,” Herman said, adding the larvicide approach is the best way to deter mosquitoes. “The real effort should be getting it early in the spring, around the catch basins and breading grounds.

“It’s not inexpensive. At least at this point, I’ve been told a town of our size would be looking in about the $30,000 to $50,000 range,” Herman added, saying such funds are not in the budget.

The public tends to latch onto the spraying, Herman said, because that is a very visible means of killing the mosquitoes, requiring someone with a backpack full of chemicals to actually walk around and spray.

Dr. Vincent Greco, the health officer for Pembroke, said the town has not been doing too much in terms of larvicide or spraying this year.

“This wet weather has not been conducive. Everything will be washed away,” Greco said. Mary Hall, the health and welfare officer for Candia, said she tried to get funding, starting about three years ago for mosquito control into the town’s budget, when the information about EEE and West Nile first began to really surface.

She’s been unable as of yet to secure the funding, she said. The town did spray several years ago.

This year, she was able to get the money to apply for a state permit that would authorize the Board of Selectmen to make a decision to spray.

“It gives us the go-ahead to figure out what we’re going to do,” Hall said, adding she would try again next year to get funding set aside for mosquito control.

Cheaper heat: How efficient is your fuel?

Salem Editor — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:02:00 GMT

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI

If there’s one person who’s doing well in this changing economy, it’s John Labbe.

Labbe is the owner of Hearth Designs in Hooksett, and he sells pellet stoves, wood stoves, fireplaces and other heating-related items.

With people looking for alternatives to heating with oil, he said pellet stoves are outselling wood and gas stoves 10 to one, and his store has been swamped.

“Most people have already decided they want a pellet stove,” said Labbe, about the customers he has. “They’ve done their research.”

And no wonder. Heating with wood pellets has become considerably cheaper than heating with oil. That is, as long as pellets are priced about where they are currently – around $280 to $300 a ton.

Labbe said the energy output of pellets at $280 per ton is equal to the energy output of oil when it’s at $2.40 per gallon. Those days appear to be far behind us, with fuel oil well above $4 a gallon.

It’s an investment, though, to convert or supplement your home’s heating system. Pellet stoves run about $3,000 to $4,000 installed, said Labbe, so it can be daunting to come up with that kind of money when one is already struggling to pay last year’s oil bill. And the stove really won’t eliminate your oil bill, as it’s more of a supplementary system that allows you to turn your oil system down or even off, depending on the configuration of your house and how warm you want each room to be, said Labbe.

How to decide if it’s worth it? It’s not easy.

“Electricity follows gas and oil prices,” said Tom Belair, a spokesman for Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), which provides electricity to this area. “It doesn’t matter what (fuel) you use, efficiency is what’s important.”

Belair points out that all forms of energy tend to rise together, so it may not be long before pellets, electricity and gas go up in price as well, negating the savings you expect from a conversion or supplementary heating system.

Indeed, pellets and cord wood are already in high demand and low supply, according to Lester Robinson, manager of Osborne’s Agway in Hooksett.

“We’re out of wood until September,” said Robinson.

His store sold out of pellets when they advertised a pre-season sale in May and June for $250 per ton. His vendor now can’t guarantee product until September, and he expects it will cost about $300 a ton.

“We cut our own firewood,” he said. “Had 100 cords, we sold it all.”

And it’s not just fuel. He said his Agway has sold more vegetable seeds and chickens this year than ever before, with people trying to save money by growing their own food and getting eggs fresh from the chicken.

So what do you do about that high heat bill?

“Make sure you’re not wasting (energy),” said Belair. “Making a long-term decision (based on today’s oil prices) may be short sighted.”

Diversity is probably a good idea, he said. Adding a pellet stove to an oil system at least gives you the choice of using whichever fuel is least expensive at the time. Having an electric space heater in the one room you sit in in the evening and turning down the heat in the rest of the house can save on the oil bill.

But make sure that portable space heater is safe, Belair emphasized. It shouldn’t be used as your main heating source.

“Buy a safe one!” he said.

Solar power could help

BY JENN MCDOWELL

While solar energy can save homeowners big on their heating bills, it’s pricey to install and based on current heating oil prices can take over five years to pay for itself, according to Malik Haig of Sustain Ablity New Hampshire, a Laconia-based solar products distribution company.

Haig said manufacturers have said a solar air heating system could save about $500 per year on fuel bills. “But of course, that was based on last year’s prices,” Haig said.

A solar air heat box can alone warm up to 1,000 square feet, Haig said, by pumping the heated air into the home. It takes about 10 minutes from the time the sun comes out to heat the box, which pulls cool air from inside the home and pumps it back in at temperatures between 90 and 100 degrees. It uses about 30 watts of electricity to run the fan that blows the air inside, Haig said.

A bigger savings can be found in using a solar hot water heating system with rooftop solar panels, or “flatplate collectors.”

“This doesn’t replace an existing heat source, just vastly reduces it,” Haig said, adding the equipment needed to run such a system starts at about $3,635, plus a few thousand dollars more for installation depending on the size of the house and the amount of copper piping it has running in it.

Haig said homeowners could reduce their oil or gas consumption by about one-third over a winter, but said the savings won’t be realized for about seven to 10 years after the system has paid itself off through fuel savings. If fuel prices continue their upward trend, that payoff could be a lot sooner, Haig said.

“There’s a lot more interest now, and lots more people coming in and saying, ‘I can’t take any more of these rising fuel costs,’” he said.

Geothermal's a good choice

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Geothermal heat pumps can be an expensive up-front cost, but in most cases are worth that high price in the long run.

Leeds Burchard of Ultra Geothermal and Ultra Heating and Cooling in Barrington said there is no way to estimate a cost without knowing the specifics of the house, as two homes with the exact same dimensions could end up costing different prices based on the ground source.

“There are no drawbacks,” said Burchard. “When it comes down to new construction, it’s the only way to go. It’s time the country got off the dependency of fossil fuels.”

For existing houses, geothermal may not be the best fit, as Burchard said not all homes are good candidates for a retrofit.

Burchard said since the company started installing the systems, they have seen an increased demand due to rising costs of fossil fuels.

“We’ve definitely seen a significant increase,” he said. “Twelve years ago we started installing, and we were lucky to do two a year. Now we have 40 to 50 on order and have over 300 installed.”

Firewood's a traditional choice

BY SARAH LEBRUN

Though pellet stoves are the hot item this year, many people still choose to buy the traditional wood stove.

According to Bob Gardner, manager at Fireplace Village in Concord, wood stoves range in price from $800 to $2,500, and some are capable of heating a 3,500-square-foot area.

According to www.alternative- heating-info.com, a cord of wood as of June 10 was selling for an average of $240 per cord, or a stack of wood that is 4 feet high and 8 feet wide.

According to Pat Dean at Joe Gauci Landscaping in Bedford, they are selling split and seasoned wood this year for $325 per cord, delivered locally to Manchester, Bedford and Goffstown.

“We expect this to really go fast because the prices keep rising,” said Dean.

“Don’t wait too long to buy wood or pellet stoves this year,” said Gardner. “You might not get one. Manufacturers are backed up like crazy.”

Firewood's a traditional choice

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI

Pellet stoves are the hot alternative to the traditional wood stove, and they’re selling like hotcakes, according to John Labbe of Hearth Designs in Hooksett.

While it’s like using a wood stove, the pellets, which come in 40-pound bags, are easy to load into the hopper of the stove, and the stove itself can regulate itself with a thermostat, keeping your home at a steady temperature without poking at wood to keep it burning.

For about $3,000 to $4,000, said Labbe, you can have a stove installed in your home. The beauty of it is that you don’t need the traditional venting. A pellet stove can be located almost anywhere. A heat sensor can be run as far as 100 feet away from the stove, allowing the room’s temperature to be set where you like it.

One consideration is where to store all those pellets, though. They’re typically bought by the ton, said Labbe, so you’ll have a delivery of quite a few 40-pound bags on a pallet. Most people store them in their garage, he said.

Local people want to save money but still travel

Salem Editor — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:11:00 GMT

BY JENN MCDOWELL

With gas prices flirting with the $4 mark, it’s a wonder people are sticking to their summer vacation plans. But for the most part they will, according to the American Automobile Association. They’ll just be more frugal.

While AAA has not released official summer travel projections yet this year other than a report on international travel, the travel decisions made over the Memorial Day weekend typically set the tone for the rest of the summer.

Decisions, decisions

This year’s Memorial Day travel projections showed a drop of almost 1 percent in the number of travelers venturing at least 50 miles from home compared to last year, a difference of about 360,000 travelers nationwide.

International travel will see a 2.6 percent increase from last year over the summer, according to a Global Insight study released in April.

“In terms of normal patterns, this is the first year when you could say there was a slight drop,” said Nick Wallner, spokesman for AAA Northern New England, particularly since the events of Sept. 11 caused a drop in travel.

The gas crunch

Gas prices in the state have increased by about 70 cents in the past year, a large portion of that increase occurring in the last several months.

And despite through-the-roof gas prices, Wallner said vacation plans will still be on, but maybe on a smaller, more affordable scale.

“There are people who are always going to take that vacation no matter what,” said Wallner, adding New Hampshire residents typically plan their vacations instead of taking spontaneous trips and may alter them based on the price of gas, but will not eliminate them altogether.

If gas prices are taking too large of a chunk out of travel expenses, Wallner said, vacationers will look for cheaper accommodations and will cut down their spending on food and attractions before scrapping the plans altogether.

As of Thursday, May 22, the state’s average cost for regular fuel was $3.76, about a 20 percent increase from the state average for regular gas on the same day last year. The price of crude oil was running around $135 a barrel. Wallner said he thinks the gas prices could make it to $4 per gallon by the end of the summer before they start to come down.

“I don’t think we’ll see it break $4,” he said, adding both Connecticut and New York are seeing prices more than $4 per gallon because of their heavy taxes on gas.

And while the state’s gas prices are sliding upward toward $4 per gallon, that’s still not as bad as elsewhere.

“We in New Hampshire could benefit a lot from that,” Wallner said, seeing as New Hampshire currently holds the lowest state average gas price in New England.

The average regular gas price in Massachusetts as of May 22 was $3.81 per gallon; Vermont’s was $3.79; Maine’s was $3.84; Connecticut’s was $4.08; and Rhode Island’s was $3.86.

“New Hampshire could be a major target destination,” Wallner said. “I think you’re going to see a lot of people from Canada coming down here because the Canadian dollar is so powerful right now.”

Gas prices have spiked particularly in the past several months because the February to May period is when oil refineries are making cleaner-burning fuels for summer travel, Wallner said, while at the same time working on refining and using up their supply of heartier winter formula.

Certain counties are required by the Environmental Protection Agency to burn cleaner fuels. There are four counties in New Hampshire that meet that criteria: Merrimack, Hillsborough, Rockingham and Strafford.

Travel tips that save gas, money and sanity

According to the state Department of Environmental Services and the United States Department of Energy, there are a few things motorists can do to limit their fuel consumption and extend their car’s drivability on a tight budget.

While none of these tips are going to take the sting out of rising gas prices, they will extend your car’s mileage, reduce the number of times you have to fill up and help leave a little extra spending money in your wallet.

The biggest gas savings can be realized by simply slowing down. Optimum gas mileage for most vehicles occurs at a speed of about 60 mph. Every 5 mph over that adds an average 20 percent to a vehicle’s gas consumption.

Adhering to the speed limit can save 26 to 86 cents per gallon of gas, according to the United States Department of Energy’s Web site, www.FuelEconomy. gov.

Also, the use of cruise control does help by maintaining a constant speed, but in cases of moderate to heavy traffic, it can backfire if there is a lot of stopand- go.

Idling wastes gas on traveling nowhere, which decreases your car’s gas mileage significantly. Idling should be kept to about one minute, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, even when warming up the car in the winter.

Tires should always be filled to the proper air capacity, no more and no less. This is particularly important for summer driving, when hot temperatures can cause sudden changes in tire pressure. A car’s vehicle guide will say how many pounds of air should be in both the front and rear tires, and the pressure should be monitored every few weeks. Keeping tires at the right pressure can save about 11 cents per gallon, according to FuelEconomy. gov.

While the air conditioner does use up some gas, leaving the windows open while driving down the highway also uses a lot of gas by creating aerodynamic drag.

Items stored on roof racks also create drag, so extras should be stored in the trunk when possible. Cutting down or eliminating drag altogether can save about 4 to 7 cents per gallon, according to FuelEconomy.gov.

A vehicle’s air filter should be changed at least once a year, and most vehicle manuals say to change it every 9,000 to 12,000 miles, according to AutoMedia. com.

A good practice is to check the air filter every time the oil is checked or when the car is undergoing other repairs, just to make sure the screen has not completely clogged with dirt and prevented air flow through the engine.

Drivers can save an extra 37 cents per gallon, according to FuelEconomy. gov, by being consistent about changing their air filter. Motorists should also check their car’s oil frequently, particularly after idling in traffic for long periods, as well as the coolant, to make sure the car’s temperature remains at a reasonable level.

Also, simply checking the oil regularly – most experts say every two weeks – and putting the right kind and amount of oil in your car can save between 4 and 7 cents per gallon, according to FuelEconomy.gov.

Finally, joining an auto club such as AAA can help travelers book package deals and plan routes that will save time, money and gas.