Family Travel and Mosquitoes Illnesses
Most people would be more than a little nervous being stuck in the same room as a tiger, shark or poisonous snake but only a little bothered by the little winged blood sucker we call a mosquito. It may surprise you that the title of the deadliest animal in the world belongs not to the first set of dangerous creatures but to that little winged one that leaves a splat of blood when you smack it. Read below for information on how to avoid mosquito illnesses while travelling as a family and what you need to do if you get sick.
So What Problems can that tiny, little bug cause?
Mosquitoes carry a large number of diseases including malaria, Zika, Dengue, West Nile virus, Chikungunya, Yellow Fever, Filariasis, Tularemia, Dirofilariasis, Japanese Encephalitis, Saint Louis Encephalitis, Equine Encephalitis, Ross River Fever, Barmah Forest fever, La Crosse encephalitis – these all sound fun, huh?
It doesn’t matter what the fancy name of the disease is – what you as a traveler needs to know is if wherever you are travelling has these dangerous mosquitoes and how common they are.
Are there Dangerous Mosquitoes in my Travel Area?
The best way to start this research is by going to the CDC’s site and see how common the diseases are in the area you are going: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list/
Malaria is Scary
If you are in an area that has Malaria you should take prophylactics – Malaria is bad and it can kill you. Even in the US, I had a very sick patient from Africa that passed away from Malaria. We referred her quickly to the ER by ambulance but it was too late and she passed away within a few hours. I’ve also read stories about travelers loosing kids to Malaria – do not mess around with that bug.
Malaria Symptoms
Initial symptoms of Malaria can initial mimic the flu. They include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and body aches. It can be associated with anemia and cause yellowing skin. If not treated quickly symptoms can become severe and include kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death. For CDC info on Malaria click here.
Malaria Prevention
The first step to preventing Malaria is always using mosquito prevention practices. If you are travelling to a moderate to high risk area you should consider taking medication as well. There are several types of medications available. There is some resistance to some previously used medications in some areas. I recommend doing preliminary research on the CDC’s site prior to seeing your primary care provider or consult a travel clinic.
The most commonly used medications are (there are others – these are just the ones that I’ve used):
Malarone – Start this medication 1-2 days prior to travel and 1 week after travel. Take daily. May be more expensive. Generally well tolerated.
Doxycycline – Start this medication 1-2 days prior to travel and continue for 4 weeks after travel. This medication may also prevent other illnesses and may be good for adventure travelers. Usually inexpensive. This medication can cause sun sensitivity and may not be the best choice for people who burn easily or will have a lot of sun exposure. May cause nausea. Make sure you take the pill with a glass of water to prevent the pill from sitting in your esophagus.
See this article for more information on the available medications.
What about Zika?
If you are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant I would not travel to an area with Zika. The risk is too high. Also know that Zika can be transmitted sexually. If your partner gets infected it can be passed to you.
Symptoms of Zika include fever, rash, joint pain, headache red eyes and muscle pain. Generally adults to not have severe illnesses. The problem with this virus is that it can cause significant birth defects in pregnant women. The virus is also sexually transmitted. Not only should pregnant women avoid Zika areas sexual partners should also avoid exposure as well. Please see the CDC website or contact a travel physician, gynecologist or your primary care to learn about avoiding Zika if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. More info on Zika here.
and Dengue?
Dengue is another virus that can make you really sick. Symptoms include High fever and severe headache, severe eye pain, joint pain, muscle pain, rash, mild bleeding and/or low white blood cell count. Dengue can result in hemorrhagic fever. This usually happens as the fever improves. Basically platelets decrease and blood vessels become leaky. If you have any signs of bleeding following a flu-like illness go to the ER immediately. Other severe symptoms include abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, red spots on skin, bleeding from nose or gums, vomiting blood, black or tarry stools, drowsiness, skin that is pale, cold and clammy, and difficulty breathing.
Younger children will generally have milder cases. Older children, adults and second cases are usually worse. Catching Dengue a second time is much more likely to cause hemorrhagic fever.
Avoiding Malaria, Zika, Dengue and other Mosquito Yuckiness
If you choose to go to an area that has mosquitoes you should practice mosquito precautions. You should wear long sleeve clothing and use mosquito netting. You should also use a mosquito repellent. Usually DEET is recommended but the CDC also states these ingredients can also work:
- Picaridin, also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
- IR3535
- 2-undecanone
Here is a list of where you can find approved products: https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-repellent-right-you
Here is the CDC’s basic information on mosquitoes https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list/ and information on avoiding bites: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/avoid-bug-bites
I’m Back – No more need to worry, right?
Malaria and other mosquito illnesses can manifest symptoms months after traveling. In the 12 months after travel if you develop a fever, rash, severe joint pain or other illness you should see a doctor. Do not wait it out. Make sure you tell them where you traveled and if malaria or other diseases where present. Do not assume that they will ask – tell them. Just think if you are a doctor and you’ve just treated 5 patients with the flu and another high fever and body aches walk in – you’re not going to think malaria. So as a patient you need to make sure your provider has all the information. Click here for more information about returning.
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