| Cycle Touring Health & Medical Issues |
| Cycle Touring Health | Mosquito Avoidance |
Biting mosquito cause Dengue Fever, Malaria,
Japanese B Encephalitis and Yellow Fever. The
female mosquito which feeds at night between
dusk and dawn is the one that carries malaria.
The mosquito that transmits dengue bites during
the day.
DEET: Inhibits lactic acid receptors in the
mosquitoes antenna, causing it to become
disoriented. In our opinion it is the only repellent
that works. We brought a few small bottles of
100% DEET from home and replaced it with 30%
strength when the strong stuff ran out. The lower
concentrate seemed to work well but wore off
quicker.
Mosquito Nets: If we were unable to find (or
unwilling to pay for) a place with air-conditioning in
mosquito country we would look for a place with
mosquito nets. Some friends we met in Vietnam
brought freestanding nets from the U.S. and found
them very useful. While nets are available
everywhere in Southeast Asia it is often difficult to
find a place from which to hang them in a hotel
room.
Natural Remedies: Well intentioned people
often insist that DEET is toxic and suggest
alternative mosquito repellents such as B12,
citronella, garlic and Skin So Soft. We have tried
them all. Nothing else works like DEET.
Mosquitoes are attracted to us by our respiration
of carbon dioxide. This explains why some
people are plagued by mossies while others
remain unbitten. Unfortunately for the cycle tourist,
those with a higher metabolism release more
carbon dioxide and attract more mosquitoes. So,
the only natural way to keep mosquitoes away is
to stop breathing!
Sleeping Sheet: In Vietnam we purchased two
silk sleeping sheets and treated them with
Permetherin. They were very useful as the
bedding in many guesthouses often consisted of
one heavy blanket which was too warm for the
climate and would leave us unprotected from
mosquitoes. Also, the sheet keeps away the bed
bugs.
Mosquito Coils: Amanda loves mosquito coils.
Rich dislikes them. She insists they work. He
insists they do not. In Mexico and Latin America
they use them everywhere. In Southeast Asia and
India they burn incense or joss sticks as part of
their traditions and perhaps to chase away the
mosquitoes as a fringe benefit.
The Bomb: If a guesthouse room is full of
mosquitoes we often ask the owner if they have a
bottle of Raid we can borrow. After spraying the
room we go for a walk around town for a while.
The Mosquito Racket: You will see these little
battery operated tennis rackets all over Asia.
Swat the air and ZAP! you've killed another
mosquito. While Southeast Asians are generally
placid people it is fascinating to watch them
discover their inner Serena Williams with a few
hundred bugs.
Malaria: It's the first question every traveler asks,
"So, what do you do for malaria?" Being in a
malarial zone for a long period of time leaves the
touring cyclist with difficult dilemma. Should we
take the anti-malarial medication for months on
end or carry a small test kit and stand-by
treatment? There is no easy answer. Malaria
information changes fast and is often updated
weekly by public health officials. New medications
come onto the market every year while the malaria
bug becomes resistant to older ones. It is best to
search websites such as the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control where they post recommended
procedures for expatriates living in malarial zones.
Travel clinics will probably not offer the test-kit
and stand-by treatment option so you will have to
do your research before sitting down with the
doctor.
Remember, in most countries travel clinics are
businesses. They make money by selling
injections and medications. It may be wise to
shop around (worldwide) for lower priced clinics.
We would have saved nearly $1800 by flying to
South Africa to get our vaccinations. The clinic at
the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town was far nicer
than the one we used in San Diego. Live and
learn.
Also, it is important to note that some countries do
not have the latest medications. For instance,
Malarone was the newest medication for malaria
while we were in Southeast Asia. We assumed
(wrongly) that we could get it at any pharmacy in
Bangkok. Turns out, the manufacturer has limited
distribution of Malaron to countries where malaria
is not endemic so that resistance does not spread
quickly as it did with Lariam.
Japanese B Encephalitis and Yellow Fever. The
female mosquito which feeds at night between
dusk and dawn is the one that carries malaria.
The mosquito that transmits dengue bites during
the day.
DEET: Inhibits lactic acid receptors in the
mosquitoes antenna, causing it to become
disoriented. In our opinion it is the only repellent
that works. We brought a few small bottles of
100% DEET from home and replaced it with 30%
strength when the strong stuff ran out. The lower
concentrate seemed to work well but wore off
quicker.
Mosquito Nets: If we were unable to find (or
unwilling to pay for) a place with air-conditioning in
mosquito country we would look for a place with
mosquito nets. Some friends we met in Vietnam
brought freestanding nets from the U.S. and found
them very useful. While nets are available
everywhere in Southeast Asia it is often difficult to
find a place from which to hang them in a hotel
room.
Natural Remedies: Well intentioned people
often insist that DEET is toxic and suggest
alternative mosquito repellents such as B12,
citronella, garlic and Skin So Soft. We have tried
them all. Nothing else works like DEET.
Mosquitoes are attracted to us by our respiration
of carbon dioxide. This explains why some
people are plagued by mossies while others
remain unbitten. Unfortunately for the cycle tourist,
those with a higher metabolism release more
carbon dioxide and attract more mosquitoes. So,
the only natural way to keep mosquitoes away is
to stop breathing!
Sleeping Sheet: In Vietnam we purchased two
silk sleeping sheets and treated them with
Permetherin. They were very useful as the
bedding in many guesthouses often consisted of
one heavy blanket which was too warm for the
climate and would leave us unprotected from
mosquitoes. Also, the sheet keeps away the bed
bugs.
Mosquito Coils: Amanda loves mosquito coils.
Rich dislikes them. She insists they work. He
insists they do not. In Mexico and Latin America
they use them everywhere. In Southeast Asia and
India they burn incense or joss sticks as part of
their traditions and perhaps to chase away the
mosquitoes as a fringe benefit.
The Bomb: If a guesthouse room is full of
mosquitoes we often ask the owner if they have a
bottle of Raid we can borrow. After spraying the
room we go for a walk around town for a while.
The Mosquito Racket: You will see these little
battery operated tennis rackets all over Asia.
Swat the air and ZAP! you've killed another
mosquito. While Southeast Asians are generally
placid people it is fascinating to watch them
discover their inner Serena Williams with a few
hundred bugs.
Malaria: It's the first question every traveler asks,
"So, what do you do for malaria?" Being in a
malarial zone for a long period of time leaves the
touring cyclist with difficult dilemma. Should we
take the anti-malarial medication for months on
end or carry a small test kit and stand-by
treatment? There is no easy answer. Malaria
information changes fast and is often updated
weekly by public health officials. New medications
come onto the market every year while the malaria
bug becomes resistant to older ones. It is best to
search websites such as the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control where they post recommended
procedures for expatriates living in malarial zones.
Travel clinics will probably not offer the test-kit
and stand-by treatment option so you will have to
do your research before sitting down with the
doctor.
Remember, in most countries travel clinics are
businesses. They make money by selling
injections and medications. It may be wise to
shop around (worldwide) for lower priced clinics.
We would have saved nearly $1800 by flying to
South Africa to get our vaccinations. The clinic at
the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town was far nicer
than the one we used in San Diego. Live and
learn.
Also, it is important to note that some countries do
not have the latest medications. For instance,
Malarone was the newest medication for malaria
while we were in Southeast Asia. We assumed
(wrongly) that we could get it at any pharmacy in
Bangkok. Turns out, the manufacturer has limited
distribution of Malaron to countries where malaria
is not endemic so that resistance does not spread
quickly as it did with Lariam.
Clothing: In hot
climates wearing a lot
of clothing is not too
much fun. Right is a
photo of Amanda on a
ferry in the Mekong
Delta of Vietnam
wearing light colored
clothing that has been
treated with
Permethrin.
Mosquitoes are
attracted to dark
colors, strong scents
and carbon dioxide.
climates wearing a lot
of clothing is not too
much fun. Right is a
photo of Amanda on a
ferry in the Mekong
Delta of Vietnam
wearing light colored
clothing that has been
treated with
Permethrin.
Mosquitoes are
attracted to dark
colors, strong scents
and carbon dioxide.
Cycle Touring Health & Safety > Mosquito Avoidance
