Mosquito Borne Diseases and
Travelers Tips for Prevention

In a number of regions of the world, diseases inflicted by mosquitos are on the rise. Fortunately, some of these diseases like malaria and yellow fever are preventable and treatable with medication, others like dengue fever and chikungunya, both of which are on the rise, are not.

The most common mosquito borne diseases and tips for prevention

Malaria - Anti-malarial drugs are available by prescription from your physician. Highest risk is in the regions of Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Central and South America, India, southeast Asia, the middle east, and the south Pacific.

Yellow Fever - A vaccine is available from local health authorities. The highest risk for Yellow fever is in the tropical climates of Africa and South America.

Dengue Fever - No vaccine is available. Dengue fever is endemic in most of the tropical countries of the South Pacific, Asia, the Caribbean, the Americas, and Africa.

Protection measures include;

• Clothing - Use mosquito repellant clothing with permethrin and washings should be done separately from other clothing. This ingredient can hold it's protection for up to 70 washings and can be purchased from outdoor apparel shops like REI and L.L. Bean. Clothing should adequately cover the arms and legs.

• Repellents - Deet is still the most effective repellant and should be applied to both skin and clothing. Other insect repellents include picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus.

• Devices - The palm sized Thermacell lantern creates a bug free zone using an invisible cloud of allethrin.

• Best Practices - The peak mosquito exposure times are generally from dusk to dawn, except for the Yellow Fever virus which occurs during the daytime. Where possible, try to avoid outdoor activities during these times. Use a mosquito net when sleeping in a non-climate controlled environment.

---