When traveling, beware of dengue

• April 29, 2024

Do you plan to travel to a tropical or subtropical area? Do you know what are the typical diseases of those regions? Generally when a honeymoon is organized or you have a pleasant vacation, places where heat and water abound are chosen, for example, the exotic islands of the Pacific, the magical corners of the Caribbean, or some unknown African beach.

Despite the beauty of these places, there is a potential threat to health: the risk of catching dengue, therefore, here we tell you what you should do to prevent it.

This viral disease, caused by the bite of infected mosquitoes of the species Aedes aegypti , you can end your vacation, if you do not know how to prevent it, especially when traveling in warm, humid seasons and spending a lot of time in urban areas or highly populated residential areas.

Unlike similar diseases such as malaria, for which there are specific prevention and control treatments, for dengue there are no vaccines or medicines.

The only thing that works is the knowledge of certain hygienic measures and care for health. Even some governments, like the United States, recommend through their embassies to exercise extreme caution if traveling to countries where dengue is endemic.

Five alerts to prevent dengue:

1. Wear clothing that exposes the skin as little as possible, for example, long-sleeved shirts and long pants.

2. In the case of adults, apply repellents that contain the insecticide DEET (in concentrations of 30 to 35%) or Picaridin (in concentrations of 20% or more for tropical travelers).

3. For minors it is advisable to consult the pediatrician because these insecticides can cause side effects.

4. Another tip is to spray clothes with repellents that contain permethrin or DEET, since mosquitoes can get to bite through thin cloth clothing.

5. Keep in mind that the busiest hours of mosquitoes transmitting dengue are the first hours of the morning and from the afternoon until nightfall.

6. If the hotel room does not have air conditioning, make sure there are mosquito nets on the beds and screens on the windows. For additional protection, spray the mosquito net with an insecticide that contains permethrin before going to bed.

The intake of vitamin B does not work against the bite of the mosquito that transmits dengue, nor the use of ultrasound devices to prevent its intrusion into the rooms.

It is advisable that before applying any insect repellent, read the instructions and detect if you are not allergic to any of the components of the formula.

Video Medicine: Beware of Dengue Fever 2015... CM [HD] (April 2024).