KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — The Knox County Health Department said two children were hospitalized in July for La Crosse virus and are now recovering at home.
These are the first cases of the virus this year, KCHD said. La Crosse is a mosquito-borne infection. Most people who get it don’t have symptoms, but those who do can have a fever, a headache, nausea and vomiting, KCHD said. In rare cases, it can become severe and lead to inflammation of the brain.
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“Severe disease occurs most often in children under 16 years old,” said a KCHD spokesperson. “Most severe cases require hospitalization but will recover with supportive care. However, up to 15 percent of cases can have major neurologic complications.”
The Aedes mosquitoes that spread the disease primarily bite people in wooded areas during dawn and dusk. To keep from getting bitten, the Health Department recommended people use insect repellants (such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 and oil of lemon eucalyptus), treat their clothes with repellents like permethrin, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants while near wooded areas and cover strollers with mosquito netting.
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The department also recommended that people reduce standing water on their property to control the mosquito population. This includes turning over items that hold water like flowerpot saucers, once a week…