PORT SAINT LUCIE, Florida/July 19, 2007 - Physicians Immediate Care, one of the region's premier providers of ambulatory and urgent health care, is urging residents to take precautions against mosquito borne illnesses in the wake of recent heavy rains throughout the Treasure Coast.

"This is the time of year to be extra careful when outdoors in the early morning and evening," said Kenneth Palestrant, M.D., founder of Physicians Immediate Care. "The recent rains have produced a bumper crop of mosquitoes that can carry a variety of illnesses including the West Nile Virus."

Physicians Immediate Care reminds residents that there are a number of things you can do to help avoid mosquito bites and control the number of mosquitoes in and around your home. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these tips:

-When possible, wear long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors.

-Consider staying indoors at dawn, dusk, and in the early evening, which are peak mosquito biting times.

-Use an insect repellent containing DEET to help reduce exposure to mosquitoes.

-Spray clothes with repellent containing permethrin or DEET for extra protection. (Don't apply repellents containing permethrin directly to skin. Do not spray repellent containing DEET on the skin under your clothing. The American Academy of Pediatrics generally recommends maximum DEET concentrations of 30% for children and infants older than 2 months of age. Lower concentrations are not as long lasting, requiring more frequent reapplication.)

-Take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing during evening and early morning, or consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times.

-Place mosquito netting over infant carriers when you are outdoors.

-Install or repair window and door screens so that mosquitoes cannot get indoors.

-At least once or twice a week, empty water from flower pots, pet food and water dishes, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels, and cans.

-Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold water, such as old tires, tin cans, buckets, drums, or bottles.

-Check for clogged rain gutters and clean them out.

-Be sure to check for containers or trash in places that may be hard to see, such as under bushes or under your home.

-Neighborhood clean-up days can be organized by civic or youth organizations to pick up containers from vacant lots and parks, and to encourage people to keep their yards free of standing water.

If you are bitten by mosquitoes and have an allergic reaction, Physicians Immediate Care urges you to seek medical assistance immediately. "If an area becomes inflamed, red, and itchy it is a good idea to come in to our clinic and have it checked. Odds are it is nothing serious but it is better to err on the side of safety," concluded Dr. Palestrant.