Know Your Risk: Assess Your Risk

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- A risk assessment or understanding your risk for vector bites is the first thing you can do to help avoid bites and the potential transmission of pathogens causing vector-borne disease.

But what do we mean when we say risk?

Risk is a combination of many factors, such as the number of ticks or mosquitoes in the area, the species of tick or mosquito, the habitat you're in, the weather, and your own personal activities.

Different species of ticks and mosquitoes have different pathogens that they can transmit, and not all of these species are located in all areas of the country.

For example, take a look at Northern Pennsylvania.

You can see blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, are present here.

However, as you move south, you can see that lone star ticks and American dog ticks start to become present as well.

Understanding what mosquito and tick species are in the area where you'll be is important for risk assessment.

Remember that the abundance of these species also matters when assessing risk.

If you're going to a location with high numbers of ticks or mosquitoes, you're more likely to encounter one that may be carrying pathogens.

Habitats contribute to this abundance.

Some habitats like marshy wet areas for some mosquitoes and forested areas for some ticks are more likely to have higher numbers of those vectors than dry lawns or tennis courts.

Weather can also be an important factor in risk assessment.

Mosquitoes are less common during the cooler parts of the year and become much more common in the warm summer months.

Ticks are active all year, but their activity level is dependent on temperature.

Fewer ticks are active at temperatures lower than about 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, ticks can still be looking for hosts even when there's snow on the ground.

Fewer vectors are also found when it's raining than on drier days.

Finally, your own knowledge and activities will make a difference in your vector bite risk.

Knowledge is the key to reducing risk, but that depends on what you do to prepare.

What repellent should you use?

What type of clothing?

Do you need to do anything when you come home to reduce your risk of vector bites?

All this knowledge plays a role in vector bite risk.

Your activities also play a role in risk.

How long you stay out in that habitat and what you're doing, all influence the risk of vector bites.

If you're hiking, you'll have a greater contact with the ground than if you're biking.

So this may have an influence on tick bites or you may be able to bike faster than mosquitoes can fly.

Recall that risk assessments can be done by analyzing the number of vectors, the species you'll encounter, the habitat you're visiting, the weather, and what activities you do.

However, once you've assessed the risk, you'll be better prepared to decide on actions you can take to prevent bites.