Skeeters and Ticks Aplenty. And a Thank You

It’s been a bad year for mosquitoes, with growing populations of those pesky creatures carrying West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. And don’t forget those ticks with that nasty Lyme disease. Time for a health alert.

Because of the increased threats of these mosquito and tick-borne illnesses across the state, the Massachusetts Medical Society, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and HCAM-TV have collaborated in producing a program to raise awareness and understanding of these infectious diseases.

Mosquito and Tick-Borne Diseases, a special episode of Physician Focus created in addition to our regular monthly programming, features two experts from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health: Alfred DeMaria, M.D., Medical Director of the Bureau of Infectious Diseases, and Catherine Brown, D.V.M., M.Sc., M.P.H., State Public Health Veterinarian. Hosting the program is Hopkinton resident Bruce Karlin, M.D., a primary care physician in Worcester, Mass.

Viewers of this program will learn about the dangers these threats pose to humans; the environmental conditions that contribute to these risks; why the risks of these diseases are greater this year than in previous years; control efforts undertaken by state and local agencies; who is most susceptible to getting these diseases; what you should do if you’ve been bitten by a tick; and the most effective steps individuals can take to protect against mosquito and tick bites.

I invite you to join us for this special edition of Physician Focus. There’s a fair amount of summer left, and with it, likely more mosquitoes and ticks. Learn what you can do to protect yourself and your family - and not let those bugs ruin your plans – or your health.

Now for the Thank You: As Executive Producer of Physician Focus, I'd like to acknowledge and tip my hat to my co-producer HCAM station manager Jim Cozzens, Director Mike Torosian, and the many HCAM volunteers, whose efforts each month bring about another episode of Physician Focus.

We just finished taping our 100th program on Monday, August 13, with the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine, which will air in October, and are approaching our ninth consecutive year of producing Physician Focus.

On that same night, we taped the special report on Mosquito and Tick-Borne Diseases described above. The yeoman work of Jim and Mike and their HCAM colleagues in post production of the show and the website helped us go from taping to distribution - we're now reaching more than 260 communities across the Commonwealth -- in just four days. No small feat.

My thanks to Jim, Mike, and all the HCAM volunteers for their enthusiasm and efforts. It's a pleasure and privilege to work with such people.