PROTECTING AGAINST INSECTS

When we travel to tropical locations, we need to be careful about insects, since they are prime agents of disease transmission. (In fact, historically speaking, anthropologists and historians have reasoned that when mankind moved to more temperate climes, we became healthier precisely because we avoided these insects, and it was a healthier mankind that built the great civilizations in the temperate areas. But we digress.)

Mosquitoes and flies are the most common vectors (agents) of disease. We can protect against them by simple measures.

• Mosquitoes come out mostly at dawn and dusk. Those are the times to make sure you have protection for your arms and legs, and other areas of open skin.
• It is also important to use mosquito repellent at these times, and at other times as well. We recommend DEET repellent – Sawyer is 20% DEET and applied every 6 hours, and Ultrathon is 33% DEET and applied every 12 hours. Both are safe for children.
• Use permethrin 0.5% on your clothes, also an insect repellent.
• At night, use mosquito netting.

We have vaccines for two diseases with insect vectors: Yellow Fever and Japanese Encephalitis. We can administer these vaccines to you at your office visit.

We have suppressants for the most important insect-borne disease: malaria. There are several alternatives. We will discuss these alternatives with you when you visit us, but you might want to read about malaria control and prevention before your first.