As the traditional solar term “Mangzhong” marks the beginning of summer’s peak insect activity, China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released crucial guidance for preventing and treating bites from mosquitoes, ticks, trombiculid mites, and rove beetles.
Understanding the Risks
CDC researcher Liu Qiyong warns that ticks – which can expand to five times their normal size when engorged – may transmit Lyme disease, forest encephalitis, and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome. Trombiculid mite larvae lurking in grass and soil leave pea-sized blisters with characteristic eschars, while contact with rove beetle bodily fluids causes linear skin ulceration. These pests thrive in environments with 25°C temperatures and 80% humidity, particularly in tall grass, shrubs, and near standing water.
Prevention Strategies
Liu emphasizes three key protective measures:
- Wear light-colored, smooth-fabric long sleeves and pants with tightened cuffs
- Apply DEET-based repellents to exposed skin and clothing
- Conduct thorough body checks after outdoor activities
Additional precautions include avoiding prolonged sitting or lying directly on grass and refraining from crushing insects on skin to prevent toxic fluid exposure.
Proper Bite Management
For tick removal, Liu advises:
- Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick’s head close to skin and pull upward steadily
- Clean the area with alcohol or iodophor disinfectant
- For rove beetle exposure, wash immediately with soapy water for 15 minutes (avoid iodine)
“Seek medical attention for blackened bite marks, persistent fever, or spreading rashes,” Liu stresses, while debunking folk remedies: “Applying oil or alcohol to ticks is dangerous – it stimulates pathogen-filled saliva secretion and may cause mouthpart breakage in skin.”
Related topics:
