How to Prevent Mosquito Borne Illnesses

How to Prevent Mosquito Borne Illnesses

Mosquito borne illnesses are diseases that are carried by mosquitoes. You may become sick if you are bitten by a mosquito that is carrying a virus or parasite. These germs can be different depending on where you are in the world. Examples of mosquito-borne illnesses include Zika virus disease, West Nile virus infection, and Dengue fever.

You may be at risk for mosquito-borne illnesses both at home and when you travel. If you are planning to travel internationally:

  • Talk with a health care provider who is familiar with travel medicine 4–6 weeks before your trip. Ask about the risks of mosquito-borne illness and how to stay safe.
  • Take malaria prevention medicine as told by your health care provider, if you will be traveling to an area where malaria is found. You may need to start taking this medicine before you go on your trip.

How can I protect myself from mosquito bites?

Take the following actions to protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites at home and when you travel:

  • Wear loose clothing that covers your arms and legs.
  • Limit your outdoor activities. Avoid being outdoors in the early evening. Mosquitoes are most active during that time.
  • Do not open windows unless they have window screens.
  • Sleep under mosquito nets.
  • Use insect repellent that contains at least 20% DEET. Other ingredients that help to protect against mosquitoes include picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), and IR3535.
  • Most insect repellents are safe to use during pregnancy. Talk with your health care provider if you have questions or concerns.
  • Do not use OLE on children who are younger than 3 years of age. Do not use insect repellent on babies who are younger than 2 months of age.
  • Only apply insect repellent to surfaces that are directly exposed to air. Apply to any exposed skin or to the surface of your clothing. Do not apply insect repellent underneath clothing.
  • If you are using sunscreen, apply it before you apply insect repellent.
  • Treat clothing with permethrin. Do not apply permethrin directly to your skin. Follow label directions for safe use.
  • Get rid of any standing water near you because that is where mosquitoes often reproduce. Standing water is often found in items such as buckets, bowls, animal food dishes, and flowerpots.

How should I use DEET insect repellent?

  • Use DEET according to the directions on the label.
  • When applying DEET to children, use the lowest effective concentration. Repellent with 10% DEET will last approximately 2–3 hours, while 30% DEET will last 4–5 hours. Do not use DEET on babies who are younger than 2 months of age. Do not apply DEET more often than one time a day to children who are younger than 2 years of age.
  • Avoid prolonged or excessive use of DEET. Use it sparingly to cover exposed skin and clothing. Skin irritation can occur in some people, but this is not common.
  • Wash all treated skin and clothing with soap and water after you go back indoors.
  • Do not allow children to apply insect repellent by themselves.
  • Do not apply DEET near cuts or open wounds.
  • Do not apply DEET to a child’s hands or near a child’s eyes and mouth.
    • If DEET is accidentally sprayed in the eyes, wash the eyes out with large amounts of water.
    • If your child swallows a DEET-containing product, rinse the mouth, have the child drink water, and call your health care provider.
  • Store DEET where children cannot reach it.
  • If you are pregnant, use DEET only when you are in areas with a high risk of mosquito-borne illness.

What should I watch for if I have a mosquito bite?

Most mosquito bites will not turn into a serious illness. However, if you recently traveled to an area where mosquito-borne illnesses are common, make sure to watch for the following symptoms:

  • Sudden high fever.
  • Chills.
  • Severe headache.
  • Pain behind the eyes.
  • Bone pain.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Muscle and joint pain.
  • Lack of appetite.
  • Feeling extremely tired or generally unwell.

Call your health care provider if you experience these symptoms up to two weeks after being bit by a mosquito.

Where can I get more information?

Before you travel, visit the Travelers’ Health site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to learn more about mosquito-borne illnesses:

  • www.cdc.gov/travel

Summary

  • You may be at risk for mosquito-borne illnesses both at home and when you travel.
  • Talk with a health care provider who is trained in travel medicine 4–6 weeks before you travel internationally. Ask about the risks of mosquito-borne illness and how to stay safe.
  • Use a DEET-containing insect repellent to prevent mosquito bites.
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