HOUSTON — This summer, it feels like the bugs are out in full force, especially mosquitoes. That's because they are.
"Would you say that Houston is the bug capital of the world?" we asked Dr. Salil Bhandari, an emergency medicine physician with UTHealth Houston.
"I'd say it is definitely one of the bug capitals of the world," he said.
That could mean trips to the emergency room. Bhandari knows firsthand.
"Sometimes it's for allergic reactions related to the bugs, which is oftentimes most common, as well as bug bites that have also gotten infected for whatever reason," he said. "And number three is various diseases that have been caused by bug bites."
They're diseases like West Nile, which can be carried by what's been called the deadliest creature on the planet -- the mosquito.
But of course, we have other bugs that can send you to the E.R. like fire ants, bees and wasps. You could have an allergic reaction after being stung or bit.
"About 1% of the population has severe allergic reactions to some of these insects, so it can be quite deadly," Bhandari said.
Bhandari said mild reactions are easily treated at home with over-the-counter allergy meds like hydrocortisone cream or simply by icing it down.
"But if you feel like that reaction is starting to spread and disseminate over various parts of the body, that rash starts to get pretty widespread, or you start to get swelling of your tongue, your lips, your throat area, you have difficulty wheezing, those are things that you definitely need to be going to an emergency room," he said.
And when it comes to mosquitoes, the doctor has three "D"s.
- Drain any standing water
- DEET -- use repellent
- Dress in light-colored clothing, long sleeves and pants