Bugs and Travel
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Mosquitos-- Mosquitoes carry a number of nasty diseases like malaria, Dengue fever, encephalitis and and West Nile fever. Displeasing as it sounds, part of the best protection is to cover up in warm climates. Malaria-bearing mosquitos generally roam from dusk to dawn, while those bringing Dengue fever fly during the day - so think about long pants and long sleeved shirts at all hours. If that prospect is too dreadful to consider, get some great insect repellant. My favorite stinky DEET stuff is "Ben's 100 Max Formula" - killer DEET. I pat my clothes with it and very lightly pat exposed skin and my hair - this stuff is pretty strong, and a little patting has always been enough to keep all bugs away, including ticks. I'm also loving natural insect repellent -- smells great and works, though I'd fall back on the killer stuff in areas where malaria is endemic.
- Crocodile Natural Insect Repellent
- Buy Cutter Advanced (contains picaridin) direct
- Ben's Insect Repellent with DEET
If you don't like the stink of DEET and don't trust natural insect repellent, try an insect repellent containing picaridin -- in 2006, the CDC (Ceneter for Disease Control, which watches health issues for US citizens) gave its seal of approval to picaridin (pick-CARE-a-den) as an effective anti-skeet agent. And finally, oil of lemon eucalyptus works as well as low concentrations of DEET, according to the CDC.
You can also look into preventative malaria pills -- they must be taken for about a month before you travel, so plan accordingly. The About.com guide to Africa, Anouk Zijlma, has a good article on general skeet avoidance -- check out "How to Avoid Malaria in Africa".
- Ticks, lice and fleas -- If you're bushwhacking, tuck your pant cuffs into your socks and wear boots. Try to avoid rodent infested lodgings - mice and rats host ticks, lice and fleas that would love to jump onto your warm body. A kitty on the premises is a good no-mousies sign (and cuddling up with the house kitty has worked for me for another travel malady -- homesick bedtime moments).
Lice can be pretty hard to avoid in some situations -- schoolchildren in the US get 'em all the time, for instance -- and pretty hard to lose once they're yours. Three kinds exist -- head, crab (pubic) and body. Body lice serve as vectors of typhus, relapsing fever and trench fever, accordingg to the National Pest Management organization, and live on your trunk, attaching eggs to clothing. Crab lice (pubic lice) and head lice are two different creatures and don't transmit disease. Aside from wearing someon else's lice-egged tee shirt, you pretty much have to bonk heads or other hair follicles with someone who's got lice to get 'em yourself -- and you can actually see the little pests crawling around in hair. A word to the wise.
Consider the purchase of a SleepSack from Walkabout Travel Gear - a freestanding net tent that stops even no-see-ums. It's small, light and packable with plenty of room for you and your sleeping bag. Toss it on the bed or the beach and grab a good night's shuteye, knowing you won't be sharing your space with any unwanted creatures, flying or crawling.
Well... actually, bedbug hatchlings can crawl through a stitch hole, according to the US National Pest Management organization. Bedbugs are creepy creatures, but bed bugs do not transmit disease, and bed bug infestations do not result from unsanitary conditions. And bed bugs are no more common in hostels than in hoity hotels, according to national pest management organizations -- in fact, I never see bedbugs in hostels.
- Learn all about bed bugs
Water Wisdom - Water Borne Diseases and Water Purification for Travelers
Naturally, drink bottled water when you can if you have any doubts about the local water. Carry water purification tablets like Potable Aqua (check prices here) or look at a variety of water purification devices. I really like a cool water bottle and purifier combination. And learn about the water in Mexico -- it's not so scary. Honest. I've drunk tap water and brushed my teeth in tap water in Mexico and lived to tell -- the key is knowing when that's okay, no matter which country you're in.
Have fun - be careful!
"I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it."Read page one of this article - Return to Student Travel Health - Return to Student Travel
--Rosalia de Castro
