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Don't Let The Mosquitoes Bite When You're On Holidays |
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Written by Dorothy Yamich
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Saturday, 06 September 2008 |
The mosquito is a major cause of many serious diseases throughout the world. Five of the most widely known mosquito-borne diseases are Malaria, Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, and West Nile Virus.
Malaria is the most common serious disease caused by mosquitoes. Over a million people die from this disease worldwide each year.
Female mosquitoes deposit their eggs into your bloodstream as they feed on your blood. These parasite eggs incubate and mature in your liver and then attack your red blood cells. The first symptoms usually arise within twenty-four hours. Some symptoms are a high fever, shivers and chills, as well as nausea and vomiting. This is usually followed by a deep sleep and then a flare up occurs. If these symptoms repeat themselves every two to three days, you must seek medical attention.
There's an anti-malaria drug that can be taken to help protect you when traveling on vacation in mosquito infested tropical climates. For you to receive maximum protection, this medication should be taken before, during, and after your trip. However, these pills may not always be completely effective.
Pharmaceutical drugs such as Chloroquine, Fansidar, Mefloquine, and Doxycycline, can be prescribed to treat malaria, but again, they are not always completely effective. Ask the doctor more about the dosage and length of time that you should take any of these prescription medications.
You can protect yourself from yellow fever by getting vaccinated by a physician at a local health authority before you travel on your holidays. This vaccination lasts about ten years and is very effective.
Japanese encephalitis is a viral infection that is transmitted by being bitten by an infected mosquito. The disease can be prevented by a series of three vaccinations.
Dengue fever is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes. There is no vaccination to prevent this disease.
West Nile Virus is also spread through infected mosquitoes. At present there's no vaccine to protect you from this disease.
Keep in mind that when it comes to serious mosquito-borne diseases, prevention is always better than a cure, even if there is one. It is always best to limit the chance of being bitten and infected by mosquitoes in the first place. You should always wear loose fitting, long-sleeved shirts and slacks and use a DEET containing insect repellent when mosquitoes become active near dusk. Also, be sure to kill all the mosquitoes in your room before going to sleep, and use mosquito nets and coils when camping or sleeping outdoors.
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