Have A Fun Vacation Or Holiday But Watch Out For Mosquito Bites

By Dorothy Yamich

Whenever you take an air flight or luxury cruise on holidays or vacation to tropical climates there is a chance that you may encounter a few mosquito borne diseases. We hope this following information will help when taking measures to protect yourself.

The mosquito is a major cause of a number of serious diseases throughout the world. Five of the most prevalent mosquito borne diseases are Malaria, Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, Dengue Fever, and West Nile Virus.

Malaria is the most common of these serious diseases that are caused by mosquitoes, and can be fatal. Well over a million people die from this disease world wide every year. Only the female mosquito transmits this disease.

When an infected female mosquito bites a human to feed she deposits parasites into their bloodstream. The parasite's eggs incubate and mature in the person's liver and then attack the individual's blood cells.

There is an anti-malaria prescription that can be taken to help protect you when you're traveling on vacation in mosquito infested tropical climates. To receive maximum protection, this medication should be taken before, during, and after your trip. However, these pills are not always 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 a vaccination from the doctor at your local health authority before you travel on your holidays. The vaccination lasts approximately ten years. It 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 by infected mosquitoes. There's no vaccine to protect you from this disease.

Always keep in mind that when it comes to the serious mosquito-borne diseases, prevention is always better than a cure, even if there is one. It's always best to limit the chances of being bitten and infected by mosquitoes in the first place. You should always wear loose fitting, long-sleeved shirts and slacks between the hours of dusk and dawn and apply a DEET containing insect repellent when mosquitoes become active near dusk. Always kill all the mosquitoes in your room before going to sleep, and use mosquito netting and coils when camping or sleeping outdoors. - 31515

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