Health - Common Diseases Spread By Insects

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Fear Of Diseases Spread By Insects

Travelers abroad are at a high risk of diseases which are spread by different types of insects. All visitors to another country must take full responsibility of protecting themselves from various health hazards including insect bites.

Malaria is one of the largest threats to travellers abroad, especially those traveling to tropical countries.

How Is Malaria Caused? : Malaria is caused and acquired through the bite of mosquitoes. Being a parasitic disease, its severity depends on the number of parasites in the blood.

In order to reduce the risk of Malaria, travellers must protect themselves from insect bites by wearing covered clothes, and applying good quality insect repellents to the skin of the face, arms and legs (if exposed) at least twice a day. The early symptoms include fever. Blood tests usually confirm if a person has acquired Malaria or not. 

Plague is a bacterial infection of rodents and its main symptoms include high fever, muscular pain, etc.

As a traveller, you must guard against rodents such as rabbits, squirrels and rats etc. Apply good quality insect repellants, on your legs etc. Seek medical help and advice in case you notice any symptoms.

Dengue poses a serious threat to travellers and its outbreak is reported in several countries from time to time. This infection is spread through mosquitoes and humans.

How Does Dengue Spread? : Dengue illness spreads from person to person by the bite of mosquitoes. After about five to eight days which is the incubation period, the infected individual will suffer from fever, headaches, joint and muscle pains.

Since a vaccine for dengue is not yet available, precautions must be taken at all times to guard against mosquitoes bites. For this, individuals must wear covered clothes such as clothes with full sleeves thick material clothes and use insect repellants.

Filariasis is caused by thread-like long worms that live in the lymphatic tissues on or under the skin. Though travellers don't need to worry about this too much, it is always advisable to protect oneself against all kinds of insect bites.

Yellow Fever is basically a disease found in monkeys. The chances of humans getting this disease is in the case when humans are infected by rain forest mosquitoes that cause yellow fever. After a few days have passed, the most common signs of this disease include vomiting, headaches, fever and abdominal pain.

Before traveling abroad, it is essential to get properly immunized - one of the best precautionary measures one can take. 

Lyme disease is caused by tick bites. Hence, it is recommended to wear clothes that completely cover the legs and feet. The common signs of such a bite include severe rashes and the onset of the disease is accompanied by joint pains, fever etc

Problematic Fleas, Bugs & Lice

Nothing can be more irritating than a run in with creatures such as Bugs, Fleas and Lice usually found in unhygienic conditions.

Bugs are usually reddish brown in color and can be located in wall cracks, under carpets and inside the bed frame etc. Fleas too are small reddish-brown insects that breed wherever their hosts rest. Plague is often spread by these fleas.

One of the most horrifying experience is to be infected by lice. The human louse fall under 3 categories - the head louse which lives on the scalp, the clothing louse which infests clothing, and the crab louse which lives in coarse body hair. The most cause for their spread is when one comes in direct contact with people who are infected. Though prevention is always better than cure, their may be a situation where you cannot avoid getting infected by these creatures. In the event that you do face the problem, it is recommended to take immediate corrective action.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are strictly those of the writer and 123oye does not take any responsibility for them.