Dr. Clifford Bassett of the NYU School of Medicine describes simple ways people can lessen their chance of contracting West Nile Virus on Associated Press news report. (Aug. 17)
Seasonal Allergies
West Nile virus outbreak: How to protect yourself
(CBS News) Dallas planes took to the skies Friday to spray insecticides to combat the worst West Nile virus outbreak the United States has seen this year. Thus far, 10 people have been killed and at least 230 others have been sickened in the Dallas County area.
Nearly half of all West Nile cases in the U.S. so far this year are in Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If the trend continues, 2012 will be the worst West Nile year in state history.
Dallas begins aerial assault on West Nile virus
Nationwide, recent CDC estimates say there are 694 reported cases of West Nile virus spread across 43 states, including 26 deaths.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 30,000 people in the U.S. have reported getting sick with the West Nile Virus since 1999. The disease spreads to humans most often through bites from infected mosquitoes. The mosquitoes themselves get West Nile virus when they feed on infected birds, and then spread it to humans and other animals when they bite.
The good news is about 80 percent of people who are infected with the virus won’t show any symptoms at all. Up to 20 percent, however, may develop a fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, swollen lymph glands or a skin rash. These symptoms may last a few days or a few weeks, even in otherwise healthy people.
But about one in 150 people will develop a severe illness, in which they may have a high fever, neck stiffness, convulsions, vision loss, paralysis, coma or other neurological effects that may be permanent.
“That’s scary stuff,” Dr. Clifford W. Bassett, an allergist/immunologist at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, told HealthPop.
What’s especially serious about this outbreak, he said, is the CDC reports the majority (59 percent) of reported cases are neuoroinvasive, meaning they can lead to meningitis or encephalitis. Bassett said these cases have increasingly been seen in adults over 50, and such brain-swelling complications can be fatal. Like many other infectious diseases, children, the elderly or people with weakened immune systems – such as those with HIV or cancer – may face a greater risk.
Bassett, who is a clinical assistant professor of medicine at NYU, said this current epidemic is being driven by unseasonably warm humid weather week after week across the country, followed by spouts of rain that leads to standing water.
“With proper protective measures, you can really reduce your risk down to a small number,” he said.
Community-based control programs that reduce the mosquito population, like the spraying in Dallas, is one way to effectively reduce the mosquito population, he said.
But the CDC and Bassett, say the easiest and best way to avoid the virus is to prevent getting a mosquito bite in the first place.
Apply insect repellant that contains an EPA-registered active ingredient, such as DEET, to skin or clothing before you head out doors. Bassett said many people don’t realize the prime times to get bit are dusk and dawn, and people may not worry about their bug bite risk when they are outdoors, or camping or at the beach.
The CDC adds that people should not spray repellants under clothing, over open cuts, wounds or irritated skin, nor near the eyes, mouth or directly on the face. Other repellants containing Picaridin may be used, and for those concerned with chemicals, there is oil of lemon eucalyptus. But Bassett says with natural products the protection likely won’t last as long.
“You can prevent 90 to 100 percent of bite reactions by applying the appropriate insecticide,” he said. Such tips can be applied to preventing other insect-borne diseases, like Lyme disease or babesiosis.
After returning indoors, wash the skin with soap and water, this is particularly important when repellants are used repeatedly in a day or on consecutive days, the CDC says. Treated clothing should be washed also before it is used again. People who have an allergic reaction to the repellant should see a doctor.
Health officials also recommend draining standing water, where mosquitoes breed.
Bassett urged Americans not take the ongoing outbreak lightly, and to take steps to protect themselves.
“It’s really no joke,” he warned. “People need to be proactive because although rare, West Nile virus can lead to a severe form that may cause paralysis and encephalitis.”
Red Meat Allergies Triggered by Tick Bite – Dr Bassett on Fox News
Fox News NY – Recent University of Virginia research has determined a link between food allergies – specific to red meat – and a bite from the Lone Start tick.
Dr. Bassett explains that once bitten by the Lone Star tick the body makes an antibody that is also present in red meat – lamb, pork, and beef. Three to six hours later many tick-bite victims experience full blown allergic reactions including hives and even anaphylactic shock. This delayed-reaction food allergy is unusual and makes it difficult for many doctors to diagnose.
Watch the Fox News interview above with Dr. Clifford Bassett for details or visit Fox News.
Control Your Allergies – Dr Bassett on Dr Oz Show
Due to several years of record-breaking levels of seasonal pollens, it is essential to have an allergy survival plan in place. Why such high levels? Climate change, the rise in worldwide temperatures and greenhouse gases, record amounts of precipitation, and over planting of male plants have resulted in longer allergy seasons. All these factors have created a perfect storm for those who suffer from seasonal and mold allergies.
Stay one step ahead for an allergy-free season! First, you need to know if you have seasonal allergies so you can customize a successful allergen avoidance and management plan.
Second, many sufferers don’t realize that medications often work better before symptoms take hold. You may actually need less if started before peak allergy periods.
Allergies can take a toll on many areas of your life. Sleep is big one. Allergy sufferers are often sleepy during the day, especially if you are hooked on drowsiness-causing OTC medications or insomnia-causing oral decongestants. Daytime fatigue can actually be caused, in part, as a result of blocked nasal passages that disrupt sleep patterns. That’s what I refer to as “allergy fatigue syndrome”.
Get the right treatment to control your seasonal and indoor allergies, so you can breathe better at night and have better quality rest. It’s time to break the cycle, get treated successfully, and sleep better. Eventually, you won’t even need that extra latte!
Summer Allergy Triggers – Dr Bassett on ABC News
ABC News — No matter what the season, pollen is in the air, ready to set off allergy attacks.
“Pollens will vary from region to region, but they follow a sequential pattern everywhere,” said Dr. Harold Nelson, an allergist at National Jewish Health in Denver. “It’s tree pollen mostly in the spring before the leaves come out. In late spring it’s grass pollen, and starting usually in late July or August it’s weed pollen. And the most important one is ragweed.”
“There’s a global expansion of pollen. There’s more of it and it’s more powerful,” said Dr. Clifford Bassett, a clinical assistant professor at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Allergy experts say of the summer allergens, pollen is the most common and affects the most people. While it’s not possible to avoid pollen entirely, Bassett offered a number of tips for minimizing its effects.
“Avoid bringing in those pesky pollens and mold spores into your home via an air sucking fan, especially during the allergy season if you are a sufferer,” he said.
He also recommends exercising indoors on days when pollen count is high, which is often on dry, warm and windy days. Levels are also typically highest in the mid-day and afternoon.
And not only is accessorizing fashionable, it can also help minimize exposure to pollen. Bassett recommends wearing oversized sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to prevent pollen from getting on the face and into eyes.
People should also wash their hair at night to eliminate pollen and change clothing before getting into bed. Additionally, keep windows closed while driving and keep air conditioners running on the ‘re-circulate’ setting, Bassett added. — by Kim Carollo, ABC News
Dr Bassett Contributes Allergy Relief Tips to iVillage Health Report
iVillage has just published an allergy relief report entitled: “10 All-Natural Ways to Treat Allergy Symptoms”. They consulted with Dr Clifford Bassett, medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York, to write about 10 strategies that can provide allergy relief this allergy season.
Dr Bassett is quoted in iVillage article’s Tip #1: “Shampoo Your Eyelashes
Are your eyes driving you crazy? Suds up your lids and lashes with a dollop of baby shampoo twice daily, and you’ll cut the redness, itching, watering and puffiness by as much as 90 percent, say researchers at Brooklyn’s Long Island Hospital. “Baby shampoo gently removes sticky pollen before it can work its way into your eyes,” explains Clifford Bassett, M.D., medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York.”
Dr Bassett on ABC New York Debunking Common Allergy Myths
NEW YORK (WABC) — This is the worst allergy season in 10 years. That means those 93 million sufferers across the country are putting up with lots of itchy eyes, runny noses and wheezing lungs.
Residential broker Michelle Jason says her allergies got in the way. That is until she started getting regular shots at Dr. Clifford Bassett’s Kips Bay office.
“I didn’t realize that over the summer and the winter when I wasn’t feeling well was still allergy related,” Jason said.
“Sometimes we put the blame in the wrong place. Here’s a myth. If you use one brand of allergy medication, you build up a tolerance and it will stop working,” Dr. Bassett said.
“The good news is you cannot build up a tolerance to allergy medications particularly antihistamines,” said Dr. Bassett. “They work on day one, day 50, or day 100.”
Myth number two, is that you should only take medication when you have symptoms.
“We know that medications work in lower doses early on in the season before the symptoms really take hold. Early treatment is excellent treatment,” Dr. Bassett said.
Myth number three is that allergy shots only work in children.
In fact, experts say immunotherapy has nothing to do with age.
Four, flowers are a leading allergy irritant.
“Just because something looks good and smells nice doesn’t mean it will cause an allergy. Get a list of good allergy plants and ones that are not so great for allergy sufferers,” Dr. Bassett said.
Myth five is that if you eat local honey you won’t get seasonal allergies.
“It sounds nice it sounds holistic,” said Dr. Bassett, “It’s not something I would count on for allergy relief this season. Occasionally, there are people who have a reaction to the honey.”
Six, if you didn’t have allergies as a child, you’re in the clear as an adult.
“We see people in their 50s 60s and 70s and beyond who have allergies for the very first time because we’re seeing a pollen explosion because climate change and pollen production,” Dr. Bassett said.
Last but not least, short-haired pets won’t irritate allergies.
“We get this all the time. My mother-in-law’s dog or cat is bothersome but mine is not. The bottom line is there are differences in the proteins in the salvations glands and the skin of the animal that comes out in the fur or saliva. In some cases there may be difference. It’s really not clear,” Dr. Bassett said.
One thing is clear, you can take easy steps now to help.
“Wear a hat, wear sunglasses on a windy day, wash your hair at night you’ll wash away the pollen that accumulates during the day. Those are three simple things that actually work and do the trick,” Dr. Bassett said.
Allergy Survival Tips 2012
- Go to www.allergyandasthmarelief.org to take a allergy relief self test, learn more about allergy testing and treatment and to find an allergist in your home town. The allergy season this spring is expected to occur about 14 days earlier in many areas of the US! It is expected to last up to 30 days longer, leaving more pollen around to cause a variety of allergy symptoms.
- BE A STAR! Wear oversized sunglasses to block airborne pollens and molds from entering your eyes and lids that will cause redness, red and water eyes.
- WEAR A HAT! Preferably a wide brimmed one.
- STAY AWAY FROM THE LINE. Avoid line drying of clothing (particularly bed linens, etc) on a high pollen day outdoors.
- BEAT THE CLOCK. Consider exercising indoors on very high pollen days (especially if you are sensitive to seasonal pollens present in the air). Pollen levels may be highest during mid-day and afternoon. Higher levels of pollens are usually found on warm, dry and windy days and lower levels of seasonal pollens on windless, wet and cloudy days.
- KNOW YOUR POLLEN COUNT. POLLEN LEVELS highest on windy, dry and sunny days.
- GET YOUR SEASONAL ALLERGIES CONFIRMED!
Simple in office allergy tests can pinpoint your problem.
- START EARLY WITH ALLERGY TREATMENT: Many medications will work better (nasal antihistamines/steroids, oral antihistamines and eye drops) if you start them even before symptoms begin in many cases.
- SHOOT AWAY! Allergy injections (shots) are only immune based therapy we have that will actually reduce and slow down “allergic disease” progression. It will provide excellent long term relief, in over 85% of patients.
- SPICE IT UP! Try a chili/cayenne pepper based natural nasal spray for pesky allergy symptoms.
- DO THE WASH CYCLE or WASH WISELY. Shampoo and shower nightly to rinse the pollens from your skin and hair. Change your clothing before entering your bedroom to reduce pollens from being brought into your bedroom.
- EYELID HYGIENE. Gently irrigate your eyelids (while your eyes are closed) with a mild, tear free “baby” shampoo to remove excess allergens and pollutants which may have accumulated. Check with your provider before (especially if you wear contact lenses or have other eye problems) to learn whether anti-allergy eye and/or moisturizing drops may also be helpful.
- CLEAN THE AIR. At home or when driving, keep windows closed and set air conditioner on “re-circulate” to keep out the pollens. Clean filters in room air conditioners frequently during the “pollen” season to get best efficiency. Avoid fans that suck in outdoor pollens into your living space, at home.
- AVOID CROSS-REACTIONS. As many as one in three seasonal allergy sufferers may experience “oral allergy syndrome” (tingling of the mouth or itchy throat) after ingesting foods (fresh fruits: apple, pear, carrot, celery, peach, cherry, as well as almond and hazelnut) if you have seasonal tree pollen allergies due to a cross-reaction between the proteins in these fruits and the pollens.
CROSS-REACTIVITIES OF
POLLEN ALLERGENS AND FOODS
“ORAL ALLERGY SYNDROME”
- About ONE THIRD TO ONE HALF of patients with seasonal allergies show sensitivity to:
However, it should be noted that reaction to one or more foods in any given category does not necessarily mean a person is allergic to all foods in that group. Often well-cooked, canned, or frozen food offenders cause no reaction.
Allergy trigger |
Cross reactors |
Alder tree pollen |
|
Birch tree pollen |
|
Grass pollens |
|
Mugwort and weed pollens |
|