Student Health Center

Fight back!

AVOIDANCE

1. Know your insects---learn about their peak biting times and locations, their different geopgraphic and seasonal distributions.  Mosquitos that carry malaria and Japanese encephalitis bite from disk to dawn. Those carrying dengue fever and yellow fever bite during the daytime.  Ticks are insects that burrow into the skin.  They are generally found in forested and grassy areas and on animals.  Check your skin for ticks after being in risk areas. Remove ticks by using tweezers to pull steadily perpendicular to the skin.  Fleas are present in sand and soil and on and around animals.
2. Try to arrange accommodations that are well screened, air-conditioned, or have bed nets in good repair.
3. When at the beach lie on a chair or at least a blanket or long towel.  Do not lay clothing on the ground, and shake them vigorously before re-dressing.
4. Avoid swimming or wading in fresh water and hiking around stagnant ponds and marshes.  If fresh water contact occurs, towel dry immediately.

1. Clothing---whenever practical wear long sleeved shirts tucked into pants and pants tucked into socks or boots.  Avoid dark or brightly colored clothing and jewelry.  Wear shoes that provide maximum coverage.  Avoid sandals.  Don't go barefoot.
2. Fragance---use unscented hair and hygiene products.  Avoid perfumes and aftershave.
3. Bed nets---when accomodations are not adequately screened or air-conditioned bed nets are essential for comfort and protection.  Nets should be treated with permethrin and regularly checked for tears and holes.  They  should be tucked under the mattress.  Treated nets provide some protection even if torn or your skin is against the net.

• Repellents---mosquitos bite people because they need the protein found in blood to help develop their eggs.  Mosquitoes are attracted to skin odors and carbon dioxide. Repellents make a person less inviting for feeding.  They can be used on skin or clothing.  The two repellents with the highest degree of effectiveness approved for use on the skin are DEET and Picaridin.  Typically the higher the concentration the longer the duration of protection.  However, with DEET the effectiveness plateaus at about 50%.  Because there are variables such as sweating, abrasion from clothing, weather, etc. the duration  listed on the label should only be used as a guide and repellent reapplied when biting activity is noticed.
  

• Choose a concentration that provides protection for the amount of time you will be exposed. 
  
• Only use on bare skin and pay particular attention to clothing margins if ticks are a concern.
• Do not spray directly on your face.  Spray onto your hands and rub onto your face avoiding eyes and mouth.
• Once back indoors wash treated skin with soap and water.
• Do not use combined sunscreen and insect repellent products.  If both are needed apply the sunscreen first.  Be aware this may decrease the efficacy of the sunscreeen by about a third.

• Insecticides---permethrin both kills and repels insects and is approved for use on bed nets and clothing.  On clothing the spray on treatment lasts for 5-6 washings.  There is commercial pre-treated clothing that stays effective through 25 or more machine washings.