Mosquito season has begun in Central Texas. Here's how to stay protected against them..

It's going to be a busy mosquito season, Austin Public Health predicts.

With our warm weather and recent rains, mosquitoes are happily breeding in any standing water they can find.

“Due to climate change, mosquitoes are breeding earlier this spring and even into the winter in Central Texas,” said Marcel Elizondo, Austin Public Health's environmental health services division chief.

The biggest concerns are the mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile. Last year, Austin and Travis County had three West Nile virus cases in humans including one death, and 48 mosquito pools tested positive for the virus. The death was the first one from West Nile locally since 2014.

“The sun is out, and everyone is excited to get back to their favorite spring and summer activities. Let’s make sure that we’re taking quick steps to protect ourselves and fully enjoy this time of year,” said Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes. “Wearing long sleeves and pants, putting on repellent and clearing out standing water will protect yourself and others from mosquitoes and the diseases they carry.”

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Local infectious disease experts also worry that climate change could mean that mosquito-borne illnesses we haven't seen could make their way to Central Texas since the type of mosquitoes that carry those diseases have made their way to the United States because of warmer temperatures. Last year, Florida had homegrown, not travel-related, malaria cases. Other mosquito-borne diseases like Zika, dengue and chikungunya fever could hit Texas.

Prepare now for mosquitoes

As Walkes says, dress for the pests by wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and long pants and long sleeves when you are outside. Clothing is available with built-in mosquito protection.

Also, mosquitoes like to party at dusk and dawn. That's when you especially need to take protective measures.

How can I keep mosquitoes out of my yard?

To keep mosquitoes away:

• Dump out any source of standing water.
• Regularly clean out anything that needs to have water, such as a bird bath. Use mosquito dunks or mosquito fish in ponds to eat the mosquito larvae. Make sure rain barrels are covered.
• Move potted plants indoors. Create drains in planter boxes to avoid standing water.
• Look for drainage problems in your yard and fix them with a French drain.
• Plant lemon balm, mint, chrysanthemums, marigolds, basil, garlic, eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary and lemongrass around your yard. Or use oils and candles with those scents to discourage mosquitoes.
• Scatter coffee grounds in the soil wherever there have been drainage problems. They deprive the eggs in the soil of oxygen.
• Install lights around the yard that mosquitoes don't like, such as LED lights, yellow bug lights or sodium lamps.
• Use a fan or fans on the patio to discourage mosquitoes from flocking there.
• Hire a professional service to treat your yard. Make sure the employees know whether you have pets or kids who crawl around in the yard.

How can I protect myself against mosquitoes?

When we tested 16 insect repellents, some with DEET, some with all-natural ingredients, we confirmed that the more DEET, the better they generally worked. Wristbands and wearable fans didn't work as well:

• DEET products can be used on anyone 2 months and older.
• Products with lemon eucalyptus oil should not be used on kids younger than 3 unless it has less than 30% lemon eucalyptus oil.
• Kids younger than 10 should not apply repellent themselves. Instead of spraying it directly on young kids, spray it into your hands and then rub it into their skin. The same technique is true for faces of all ages.
• Avoid spraying in eyes, noses, mouths and ears.
• You can spray exposed skin and clothing, but do not spray underneath clothing.
• Avoid open wounds and cuts, and avoid overspraying.
• You need only light coverage.
• Spray repellent outside rather than inside and not near food.
• Avoid inhaling these sprays. Wash your hands after applying repellents.
• After using an insect repellent, it's recommended that you wash it off when you're done for the day, and you should change out of the clothes you sprayed with repellent.

The Environmental Protection Agency regulates products that have these ingredients:

• DEET
• Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and icaridin outside the U.S.)
• IR3535
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
• Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone

At epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-repellent-right-you , you can find insect repellents that have been regulated by the EPA and are considered safe for use by humans.

What happens if I do get bitten?

Most people when bitten by a mosquito don't get a disease. They just get those itchy red bumps that sometimes can swell up.

Be concerned if a bump is crusty with a weeping wound that has white puss flowing from it. (Clear liquid is not worrisome and is actually a sterile substance.) If a bump becomes hard or tender rather than just itchy, that's concerning. Also worry if it seems to be spreading considerably from the initial site. If you develop a fever, hives or swollen lymph nodes, see a doctor.

Infections such as staph can set in when people scratch their bites. Dirt from hands can be transferred into the open wound in the skin. Try to keep kids' nails short and clean, wash their hands often and encourage them to rub a bite through their clothing rather than scratching the skin directly if it's impossible not to touch it. You also can cover it with a bandage to avoid direct contact with the bite.

To try to control the itching, use an over-the-counter anti-itch cream, typically with 1% hydrocortisone in it. Spot treat the area. You also can create a paste using baking soda and water and apply it. Wash off the paste about 10 minutes later. Also try applying ice packs to take down the redness and the itchiness. A lotion with oatmeal in it or calamine also can be soothing to the skin.

If there are a lot of bites and that cream is not helping, try taking an antihistamine like Zyrtec, Claritin or Benadryl.

What are the symptoms of West Nile virus?

About 80% of people who contract West Nile virus have no symptoms. Most people who do develop symptoms have fever, headaches, joint pain, body aches, swollen lymph glands, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash. A blood test or a spinal fluid sample can confirm the cause.

People who are 60 or older have the highest risk of severe illness, as well as people who have underlying medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney disease, or who have had an organ transplant.

How is West Nile treated?

There is no vaccine for West Nile virus. Most people can use over-the-counter medications.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Environmental Protection Agency; Dr. Lisa Gaw, pediatrician and director at Texas Children’s Urgent Care Westgate; Dr. Albert Gros, the former chief medical officer at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center; Ryan Larsen, a civil engineer at storm water management company NDS Inc.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Mosquito season has begun in Central Texas. Here's how to stay protected against them..