Summer hazards

But then - blame it on “Jaws,’’ maybe? - summer became the season of fear, three months of scourges to be avoided. The spread of disease-carrying bugs and media attention to other summer hazards created a dark tide, engulfing the season with fears of everything from lethal fevers to cancer.

So how can you return the serenity to summer? Understand your fears, keep risk in perspective - and adopt sensible safety measures.

“We have a limited ability to pay attention to every risk. When a headline puts something on our radar screen, our awareness goes up - and so does our fear,’’ said David Ropeik, instructor of risk communication at the Harvard School of Public Health, who said that fear is more often based on perception than reality.

People perceive less risk in activities they can control, he said. While multiple maladies are associated with obesity, for example, people aren’t afraid of overeating because they know they can start dieting tomorrow. And then there are risks that seem worth taking - because there are perceived benefits.

“The sun can give people a nice tan, so they may downplay the risk of skin cancer in their minds. But what good can a mosquito cause you?’’ Ropeik said.

Here, then, a rundown of some summertime fears:

SUN: SKIN CANCER

Exposure to the sun is cumulative when it comes to skin cancer: a few ultraviolet rays here and there add up, and a few bad sunburns (especially in youth) can be all it takes to develop cancer down the road, Yang said. And if beachgoers forgo the sunscreen, they may end up with a sunburn that can result in red, itchy skin, and premature aging.

REAL RISK:
Risk of burns and skin cancer depends on exposure and skin type. The more sun you soak in and the paler your skin, the higher the risk, Yang said. One in five Americans will get skin cancer, and most of these will be basal cell carcinoma. This type of cancer is rarely fatal, but it can be disfiguring. The risk of burns may be higher at the beginning of summer. “People aren’t as good about their sun protection because they’ve been cooped all winter and think they don’t need it,’’ she said.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT:
Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 - the higher the better - and apply it liberally and often, especially when swimming or sweating. “Re-application is where most people fall short on sun protection,’’ Yang said. Long-sleeved shirts, brimmed-hats, and sunglasses can help keep sun at bay, but avoid the outdoors when the sun is the strongest, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

MOSQUITOES: WEST NILE AND EEE

Since the first case in Massachusetts in 2000, 60 people have been identified with the virus, resulting in six deaths. “West Nile Virus is here to stay,’’ said Richard Pollack, public health entomologist at the Harvard School of Public Health.

The other virus, EEE, is more rare but has deadlier symptoms, causing severe neurological impairment from which few people fully recover, said Pollack, who added that one of every three people diagnosed with EEE die from it.

REAL RISK:
“People should be mindful, not worried’’ about mosquito bites, Pollack said. “The risk of any one individual getting West Nile or any other mosquito-borne illness is quite low,’’ he said. According to the state health department, 80 percent of people who contract West Nile experience no symptoms, 1 percent develop serious symptoms, and 1/10th of 1 percent die. While the survival rate is lower for EEE, only 14 cases of the virus have occurred in the past five summers in Massachusetts.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT:
The species of mosquito that most frequently transmits West Nile virus lives and breeds in standing water, so empty out flower pots and wheelbarrows that can collect rain, and keep pools well-maintained, said David Henley, superintendent of the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project. If mosquitoes start to attack, apply a DEET-containing insect repellent to skin, and permethrin-containing repellent to shoes and clothes. Also, make sure screens are in good repair and try to avoid outdoor activities during dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active. As for EEE, it is most common in mosquitoes in cedar swamps in the southeast part of the state, so steer clear of that habitat when possible.

TICKS: LYME DISEASE

“It’s been high humidity and misty for weeks, and the ticks are just loving it,’’ said Thomas Mather, professor of public health entomology at the University of Rhode Island and director of the school’s Center for Vector-Borne Diseases.

REAL RISK:
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that about 1 percent of tick bites result in Lyme disease, probably because a tick has to be attached for a full day before the bacterium can be transmitted. If you aren’t near wet shady areas - the places ticks live - your chances of getting bitten are small, said Mather.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT:
To prevent tick bites, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health suggests that hikers stay on cleared paths, wear long-sleeved shirts, and tuck pants into socks when possible. Adults and children over the age of 2 can apply to their skin an insect repellant that contains the chemical DEET. Mather also suggests using a repellent containing the chemical permethrin but only on clothes and shoes; it should never be applied directly to skin or inhaled. (However, the chemical can be toxic to fish and cats, so be careful when wearing it around the house or near water sources).

The disease is often heralded by a red rash, later encircled by a ring, making it look like a bull’s eye. Other symptoms include headache, fever, stiff neck, and aching joints. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics, and the sooner the treatment, the better the recovery.

POISON IVY: RASH

REAL RISK:
At least 85 percent of people have an allergy to poison ivy. While touching poison ivy vines will most likely lead to a treatable rash, some rashes or blisters may become infected and require a visit to the doctor. Landscapers who try to rid their backyard of the weed by burning it can cause an intense skin rash all over the body and can damage airways, said Dr. Clarissa Yang, a dermatologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT:
Watching out for the weed can save outdoor enthusiasts a world of itchy pain. But if contact occurs, the severity of the rash may be reduced by washing with soap and cool water, Yang said. If the rash continues to worsen, a trip to the doctor for steroid cream can reduce the time suffering. “If you don’t treat it early, you end up with a worse reaction later,’’ Yang said. If not, over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream can provide relief.

Correction: Because of a reporting error, a story in “g’’ Monday about summer hazards incorrectly identified David Ropeik, a consultant in risk perception and risk communication and the author of a forthcoming book, “How Risky Is It, Really? Why Our Fears Don’t Match the Facts.’’