Safety around creepy crawlies

Simply be prepared and you should be safe from the not-so-monstrous creepies that crawl in the night.

One of the first things to be aware of is the threat of malaria from infected mosquito bites but adequate preparation through starting on a course of medication before, during and after travel should suffice

Mosquitoes – unfortunately many safari parks are in malaria areas. Malarone, antibiotic doxycycline, chloroquine and mefloquine are the four most common medications prescribed against malaria. Chatting to your doctor beforehand will ensure that you get the right medication for both your family and the area to where you are travelling. To be extra safe, bring along  mozzie-repellent shampoos, soaps, lotions and sprays, especially for the kids.

Mosquito bite treatment and natural repellants in addition to medication include Brewer’s Yeast and garlic (the mosquito doesn’t like the smell apparently!) and anti itch lotion with aloe ver

It is also a good idea to invest in a mosquito net to ensure a restful night’s sleep, free from pesky mosquito and other insect bites

Snakes – generally shy creatures, it is unlikely that you will encounter a snake in the built up areas of your safari camp. If you do meet with one, back away quickly and quietly. Bites are usually more painful than fatal, but seek medical attention from a camp medic immediately, just to be safe.

A good idea would be to wear leather boots that go up to the knee… very difficult for a snake to bite through if you stood on one accidentally and caused it to react

Creepies – most game lodges supply nets and window coverings to keep the crawlies at bay, but it is still a good idea to check your shoes before squishing a sleeping scorpion. When going for bush walks, wear long trousers, boots and hiking socks to prevent picking up any hitchhikers.

Ticks – these icky little creatures are an unfortunate side-effect of being in the bush. All conditions that develop from a tick bite are treatable, but it is important to remove the offending bug as soon as possible. Conflicting techniques exist on how to remove a tick, but it is generally considered ill-advised to yank it, suffocate it, or drown it as the head buries itself even further. Rather use tweezers, grasp it at the head, right against your skin and pull straight up to remove the tick in its entirety.

Have you ‘ticked’ that one off the list?

Safety on a game drive

It is very easy to think that just because you are in a Land Rover with a guide and a gun, you are completely safe. Most game drives are relatively risk-free, but only as long as you do your bit and follow the rules.

Listen to your guide – guides are experienced in animal behaviour and will always have a good reason for asking you to do, or not do, something. Asking you to keep quiet could be to prevent an already agitated animal from charging, or disappearing and ruining your photos. Anything as quiet as the click of a camera could set an animal off, so listen if your guide asks you to hold off on a picture.

Keep your hands to yourself – Game drives traverse some pretty wild terrain and you just never know when a branch or a particularly spiky bush could suddenly appear. Keeping your hands and arms inside the vehicle ensures that you don’t get any nasty scratches. This also means that you should you be lucky enough to get close to an animal, you shouldn’t lean out and touch it. Wild animals could react viciously and injure you. Remember, if these animals become too used to humans it will be to their detriment if they later have the confidence to approach a hunter, farmer or built up area.

Stay sitting – any sudden movement could scare an animal, ruining your picture or even prompting an attack. Animals are used to the shape and size of safari game drive vehicles and standing could alter this shape and cause panic.

Safety on a self-drive safari

Common sense should ensure your safety on a self-drive exploration of a game reserve as most of the same rules apply as when you are on the road.

Stay inside the car - You wouldn’t hang out a window while driving in the city? Well, don’t do it while on safari. Keep all your body parts inside the car and never, ever, ever get out the vehicle at any time. If you get a flat tyre, call for help or flag down another car to get help for you. Even though the coast may seem to be clear, bending to change a tyre leaves you vulnerable to attack.

Keep to the speed limits – There are speed limits in any game park – obey them for your safety and the animals.

Don’t feed the animals – You should also not throw rubbish out your windows. Any left over food will naturally attract animals and can have detrimental effects on the environment. Teaching animals to rely on humans for food can turn them into scavengers that can’t fend for themselves and introduces foreign substances into their environment which all contribute to a negative shift in the eco-system.

Don’t be tempted to rev or hoot or flash your lights in an attempt to try and get the animal to do something more interesting. More interesting could end up in your car being charged. If an animal shows any sign of getting agitated, slowly start your car and move off. These signs could include a prolonged stare-off, erratic ear movement, pacing or even a mock charge.

Safety on a game walk or at a lookout point

There are designated places where you can walk in a game reserve or get out your car, but follow these guidelines:

No swimming – it gets hot out there, but a quick dip is not the answer. No matter how inviting the water, it could hide crocs and hippos – and they don’t like to share their pools. The bilharzias parasite is also present in some rivers and can cause bleeding and ulceration of the intestine and bladder.

No feeding the animals – A change in feeding patterns could mean that some animals do not migrate as they would normally do at a certain time of year, adversely affecting food supplies. Different animals that are taught to scavenge can also fight over one food supply that they would not normally share, resulting in injuries and harmful inter-species interactions. Most importantly, wild animals have specialised diets and you have no idea what effect a chocolate bar could have on their bodies.

No touching – do not approach an animal, touch it or call it – the response will not be one that you anticipated.

Do not stray – stay on the path, in the designated watch area or with your guide. Besides getting lost, you may trample endangered plant species or contribute to erosion.

About the author: GoTravel24.com is South Africa’s leading travel website. With information covering every aspect of travel, from honeymoon tips to upcoming events and affordable packages, GoTravel24 is really your one-stop travel shop.

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A Kenya Safari Holiday .

You need to sleep under treated mosquito netting, and the doors and windows should be screened against mosquitos. If you are lucky enough to have a fan or even airconditioning then even better, but just remember malaria prophylaxis 

Masai Mara Safari

And, we had a steward who made up our room during the day, and then when we were on our evening safari, would fix up our tent for the evening. Close all the curtains, take our mosquito nets down, switch the day bedlinens 

Close encounters of the Creature Kind

Ah but our foray with biting insects had only just begun: in the Tanzanian post-rainy-season tropics we entered the land of the Mosquito. The nightly routine, consisted of returning to base before dusk to cover up and apply vast quantities of DEET to any exposed skin before going anywhere. … Instead of reducing my terror of catching the disease (we’d met someone on Safari who’d had it on Malarone, the extremely expensive new drug I was on for extra protection in Africa

USB Mosquito Stick Keeps You Malaria-Free On A Laptop Safari

Using an ultrasonic force field, this USB stick vows to protect you from mosquitoes during all those times when you find yourself using a laptop

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After your lovely summer day, you will hopefully be left with wonderful memories. All too often, you’re left with a little more personal reminder of your fun in the sun:  mosquito bites . Mosquito bites are annoying, but typically not serious unless the mosquitoes are carrying a disease that can be transmitted to humans.

>>  Mosquito Bite Treatment. Click here

In the U.S., fortunately, this is rare. So most of the time, you are just dealing with a minor annoyance that can be handled with any number of home remedies for mosquito bites.

The irritation of a mosquito bite is due to a localized allergic reaction to the saliva of the mosquito. Not to put too fine a point on it, you are itching from bug spit. The mosquito has enzymes and chemicals in its saliva that keep your blood from clotting, making it easier for the mosquito to take your blood for its own nefarious purposes. You, however, do get the short end of that stick.

An Ounce of Prevention

The first and best course is to not get bit. The best home remedy for mosquito bites is to keep your home and lawn from becoming places where your local neighborhood mosquito will want to nest and breed. Avoid standing water, for example.

The next best thing is to use a repellent. There are a variety of repellents available, from sprays and lotions, to sunscreens that contain repellents, to sprays and candles for your yard. Some people prefer to avoid these chemicals and seek more natural ways to repel mosquitoes. Ingesting apple cider vinegar, garlic, or taking certain vitamins is said to help repel mosquitoes, but their effectiveness is marginal at best. So, if you are outside and it is summer, you might as well resign yourself to getting bit.

The Pound of Cure

So you’ve done your best to stay away from mosquitoes and make yourself a less appetizing snack. Still, you’ve got a mosquito bite or two.

>>  Mosquito Bite Treatment. Click here

Never fear; there are home remedies you can use to stop the incredibly insistent itching and sooth your skin. One old remedy your author has used is tobacco juice. Tobacco juice will deaden your skin and stop the itching. It will also cause a nasty stain and leave you explaining to your mom or wife just what you were doing with tobacco in the first place, but it does work.

Another traditional home remedy for mosquito bites is baking soda. Just make a paste of it with a bit of water, and put it on the swelling. Salt is another good substance to make a paste from, as well as meat tenderizer. All these have shown a lot of effectiveness. Apple cider vinegar and ammonia are other common substances that will stop the itch from mosquito bites right in their tracks. Toothpaste is a household product that will relieve that itch as well, though you might want to avoid any strongly flavored varieties.

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Antihistamine

An over the counter antihistamine lotion or gel will reduce the swelling at the site of the bite, reducing the irritation. The histamine is the basic actor of the allergic response and anything that can reduce that will lessen the discomfort.

>>  Mosquito Bite Treatment. Click here

Do not, however, rule out emollient lotions. An ointment with a beeswax base that contains other nutrients like bee pollen will go a long way to soothe the localized irritation of a mosquito bite. Another natural product is also from the bee, propolis. It is a substance used by bees to seal and protect the hive. Its benefits are wide ranging and go well with the other supportive nutrients of several of these natural ointments.

Anyone with an active life will encounter mosquitoes and will invariable get bit from time to time. Home remedies for mosquito bites are a good thing to have readily available on hand as the summer goes along.

Author: Dustinkerry Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_834097_17.html http://www.rawleigh-products.com

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But did you know that in the whole scheme of things the mosquito plays quite an important role.

This is what Outdoor Skills Expert, Tamarack Song has to say.

Song of the Mosquito: How to Live in Balance With This Honored Guardian of the Wild Places

No other animal in the Wilderness is more joked about, cursed or feared than Mosquito.  After all, she is known to spread disease, suck veins dry and drive otherwise sound people to delirium.  Yet there is another side …

A couple years ago a reporter from a big city newspaper called me to get some information for an article on Mosquito control and mosquito bite prevention.  He also interviewed an academic bug expert, whose quote, “I wouldn’t go (Tamarack’s) route,” ended the reporter’s resulting article.

Why are there such entrenched camps around how to relate with this fragile, weak-winged being we call Mosquito?  And what might we do to honor her as a fellow creature and occupy the same space as her?  Before we explore those questions let us find out just who this notorious and embattled six-legged is.

To many of us who live both in town and in the farther places, she is a nuisance; to city governments she is another pest and disease carrier to target with a vigorous “control” program.  Humorous postcards in just about every vacation region claim that she is the state bird.  To the manufacturers of Cutters and Off she’s the greatest thing since cockroaches.  To many wilderness trekkers she’s a spoiler who clouds the sun and rivets the skin by day, then by night relentlessly drones her nauseating whine at maddeningly close quarters.  To Native People she is honored sister and animal guide who heralds the coming of the Green Season.  She is a guardian of the farther places, helping assure that their beauties and mysteries be preserved for those who Walk in Balance.

But why Mosquitoes? Why not something more cute, or at least less hurtful?  Many of us who state that we love nature are referring to the noble, the inspiring, the photogenic.  Usually not Mosquitoes.  We have a cultural aversion to insects in general, and biting insects in particular.  Yet insects are the most numerous, varied — and some say the most beautiful — of animals.  Mosquitoes themselves are often resplendent looking; many have iridescent wings and some have other frills such as red-striped legs.

Let us again turn to Native wisdom for another perspective:  In the Hoop of Life all is sacred;  Mosquito is as well a child of  The Mother, thus no more or less important than are we.  Mosquito is as vital and noble and beautiful as Hawk or Grandfather Pine, so she is accorded the same respect and admiration.

She plays an important role in the food chain; her often abundant larvae are food to fish and invertebrates, and she is fare for Birds, Bats, and Dragonflies.

Still, when we are harangued by these pesky little blood siphons we can well find it hard not to develop an attitude and start swatting and spraying.  They can keep us indoors and put a damper on otherwise enjoyable outdoor activities.  So what do we do, especially those of us who wish to live more respectfully and responsibly?

We may try one of the naturally-based repellents which have come on the market in recent years; they may be citronella or citrus oil based.

Megadoses of vitamin B-1 appear to work for some; others favor garlic capsules.  The most curious repellents I have come across are Avon’s Skin-so-Soft and Bounce Fabric Softeners pinned to clothing.  None of the above, however, are near as effective as Cutters or Deep Woods Off.

Yet there is a natural approach as effective as those chemical stews, but it is so little known and hard to bottle that it can’t be bought.  It’s one we live.

The clues to that Balance lie in knowing Mosquito.  She is a fragile creature, a weak flyer sensitive to dryness and paranoid of tight places and anything oily.  She is much like us in the ways she is drawn to food–color, appearance, smell.  She can smell the carbon dioxide in our breath and the carbon dioxide and lactic acid that emanate from our skin;  she can see our silhouette, movements and the color of our clothing and can sense our body heat.

Some of us ring our dinner bell louder than others because we have a mouth watering combination of the above signals.  The key to DEET-free outdoor living is to eliminate or disguise as many of those signals as possible and to confound Mosquito over the rest.  The following list contains some suggestions which have overlapping effect; select a combination which best fits your person and situation.  They work synergistically; several together can be as effective as a synthetic deterrent.

Mosquito Bite Prevention:

Location

• Stay in the breeze. Mosquito can fly only eight m.p.h., so it doesn’t take much to waft her away.

• Create a breeze. A 50 yard dash will leave the swarm lost and confused.  Repeat as necessary.

• Choose a high sunny location.  Mosquito dehydrates easily, so seeks shade and low areas where the humidity is higher.  If all else fails, climb a tree or perch atop a rock.

Clothing

•   Wear long, loose-fitting garb to keep Mosquito from biting through to skin. Earth hues disguise us in the Woods; green is best, brown rates second. White masks your silhouette in       the open.  Blue is worst; Mosquito mistakes it for a flowering plant from which she draws sustaining juices. Red flags her in also, as well as other insects.  (Below-waist colors aren’t as       critical; Mosquito will bite regardless.)

•   Air out outdoor clothing so that it does not harbor attractive odors.

•   Drape a Fern frond, long hair or something similar over head and face. Mosquito doesn’t like close overhead shadows or feeling boxed in while feeding.

Movement

•   Go slowly, remain calm.  The more we sweat, breathe and agitate, the more Mosquitoes we will attract and from a farther distance.

•   Walk first in line.  The cumulative draw of a group of people is felt more the farther back in  line one is.

Diet

•   Eat raw garlic.  The essence laces breath and exudes from skin pores, masking your lunch call.

•   Eat foods and drink aromatic teas indigenous to your area..  You’ll then smell like  you belong.  (I learned this from the local Natives, who did it to camouflage for the hunt.)

•   Avoid stimulants and sugar.  They rev up the metabolism, which sends out louder invitations.

Skin Slatherings

•   Oil your skin.  Mosquitoes are obsessive about keeping their wings grease-free.

•   Apply an aromatic oil such as Cedar (or other conifer) or crushed orange peel, onion or garlic.  Give special attention to the warmest, leanest parts of your body — neck, armpits, ears, wrists — wherever blood vessels are close to the surface.

•   Teas of the above will work also, but lose effectiveness when they dry.  Sweat keeps them active.

•   Smoke skin, hair and clothing.  Make a small smudge fire (see box), hold clothing over smoke and work into hair.

•    Avoid scented personal care products and laundry detergents.  They are seductive perfume to Mosquito when activated by body heat.

Time

•   Choose midday or after dark to be out.  Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk.

•   Choose a cool over a hot day, a sunny over a cloudy day, a low-humidity over a high-humidity day.

For Your Camp

•   Welcome Dragonflies and foster ponds — their breeding ground.  They can consume their weight in Mosquitoes in a half hour, they’ll fly miles for the meal, and they can spot the buggers 50 feet away. Immature Mosquitos, called wrigglers, are water dwellers and the favorite food of Dragonfly larvae–also water dwellers. Old favorites like Bats and Purple Martins include an average of only a couple percent Mosquitoes in their diets.

•   Keep a section of yard open to sun and breeze.

When On the Trail

•   Follow the guidelines under Location in choosing your campsite.

•   Make a smudge fire to create a dense, cool, low-hanging smoke (see box).  When smoke hangs around, the Mosquitoes don’t.

•   Sit tight.  If the Mosquito population is light to moderate, those in your immediate vicinity will soon satiate themselves (or get massacred — your choice) and you’ll be left with just the occasional drifter to feed.

•   Brush them off. Our most common Mosquitoes take several seconds after landing to bite, so keepin’ them hoppin’ with a periodic sweep can be a temporary fix.

First Aid

A Mosquito bite itches and swells as the result of an allergic reaction to the anticoagulant in her saliva.  The most effective treatment I’ve found is to alternately compress and release the bite to cause the toxin to disperse.  This works for the bites of most other insects as well.

Dehydration may magnify bite reaction; be sure to hydrate well before hitting the  trail and also carry along adequate drinking water.

Perhaps the fact that I’m still alive and sane after years of outdoor living (without commercial repellant) in Skeeter Country is some testament to the fact that this mosquito bite prevention approach does work.  And yet I like a few Mosquitoes around; they help me to slow down and they bring me teachings that touch many areas of my life.  I am proud and honored to live in their domain and call them sister.

Tamarack Song has been a student and teacher of the traditional outdoor skills his whole life. He is an author and director of the celebrated Teaching Drum Outdoor School. We thank him for sharing his wisdom on mosquito bite prevention
by Tamarack Song

First published on Teaching Drum Outdoor School’s site.

Role Of Lemon In Treating Insect Bites

Summer is the time when people prefer to go for a retreat to cooler destinations. Clear skies and still weather conditions make it the ideal time.

Treatments For Mosquito Bite. What You Can Use At Home?

You can make ice wraps and apply them on the bites. This is one of the most effective mosquito bites treatment you can safely use at home. It helps bring down the swelling on affected skin. This eases irritation and the pain too.

Treatments For Kinds Of Insect Bites

A mosquito bite usually results in redness and minor local swelling around the mosquito bite site. Itching is also very common and tends to last longer than the swelling, which subsides after a few hours. 

Mosquito Bites and Remedies

Treating Mosquito Bites. Defense is the best from of treatment here. Take adequate precautions to ensure that you are not bitten by a mosquito. But if you have been bitten, then here are some home remedies that you can use

Aromatherapy Oil for Insect Bite Relief  Aromatherapy Massage

Essential Oil for Insect Bite Treatment. Though there are several remedies that can be used for relieving the itch and discomfort of a mosquito bite, essential oils work well too. In fact you can get instant relief from all the itching.

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Do you have any bushcraft skills? If you were to become lost in the wild do you have the skills necessary to erect a shelter, start a fire, locate some water and find some nutritious food? And would you know what is safe to eat? Would you know how to stop insect bites?

      >>   Find a natural mosquito bite prevention alternative here 

Living in our modern, convenience food world we have all lost touch with the sources of our food. Today, children grow up in cities and many have no idea where their food comes from. I once taught a young guy who didn’t know that burgers were made from beef. I don’t know what he thought they were made out of.

If you are lost in the wild, without bushcraft skills you might be surprised to find that there are no all night supermarkets. You really need to be able to identify what is safe to eat and what is potentially harmful. If you have ever seen Bear Grylls surviving in various inhospitable parts of the world he always catches and eats whatever he can find. Something you may have noticed is that Bear is never without his bushcraft knife, an essential survival tool.

Wild berries could be a valuable form of food and nutrition. Our ancestors would have gathered nuts, berries and grain when in season and either eaten these raw or prepared them in some way. But some berries can be deadly poisonous.

Yew berries are very poisonous causing many poisonings every year. They are bright scarlet in color, about 8 to 10mm in diameter with an indentation at the base. The berries look deceptively appetising leading many young children to eat then.

Deadly Nightshade is another berry that results in many visits to the emergency room each year. The clue is in the name, not in the appearance. This plant is also commonly known as Belladonna, producing sweet berries that can be irresistibly attractive to young children.

Insects can be a valuable source of energy, but many find the thought of eating them distasteful. Most insects are actually edible, but some taste better than others. Many species are actually very low in fat and high in protein.Crickets, grasshoppers, mealworms and wood grubs are all a safe bet. You will find that most insects taste better when barbecued and you can even grind them up to make an insect flour.

To stop them biting you can eat things rich in vitamin B, use lemon juice on your skin and clothes and use smoke as a natural insect screen. There are several types of plants that naturally repel mosquitoes so if they are around you can make use of them. Some of these are horsemint, marigolds, catnip and rosemary. You can also use lemon eucalyptus oil as a mosquito repellent.

Birds, rabbits and other small animals are all generally good to eat, but not so easy to catch. This is particularly true if you find yourself lost without a weapon. In these circumstances some form of trap will possibly provide the best chance of catching an animal.

You may be thinking that this will never happen to you and you will never be forced to eat grasshoppers for dinner. But this really could happen to you. All you have to do is stray from the main path through a forest, as I once did, and before you know it you are disoriented and lost. That’s when you’ll wish you’d paid more attention to Ray Mears Extreme Survival.

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Conventional medicines find Malaria difficult to treat as the parasites responsible become more resistant

About two decades ago it was thought that malaria had been eradicated from India. However, recently, there has been a resurgence of this disease.

Malaria spreads through a mosquito bite (female anopheles) and the common causative organisms in India is plasmodium vivax and p falciparum (malaria parasite). Malaria caused by this parasite does not always cause any permanent damage. It is characterized by fever every third day, followed by rigor or shivering and accompanied by headache and muscle pain. In some cases, there may be enlargement of the liver and spleen. The final diagnosis can be made by examining the blood for the presence of the parasite. Lately a resistant strain of plasmodium vivax and p falciparum has erupted in some areas of India. This has made the treatment more difficult since it is resistant to the usual anti-malarial drugs.

How Does the Disease Progress? The malarial parasite gets injected into the bloodstream by the bite of the female anopheles mosquito and reaches the liver where it multiplies. The baby parasites are released from the liver into the bloodstream, where they enter the red blood cells (RBCs) or return to the liver. Those which enter the RBCs, grow and further multiply. This leads to distension and bursting of RBCs and releasing the toxic metabolites of these multiplied parasites, resulting in rigour and fever. The released parasite may re-enter into other RBCs to repeat the cycle of growth and multliplication, causing another attack of rigonr and fever. This new cycle in RBCs takes about 48 hours and account for the occurrence of fever and rigour every third day. Those who enter the liver may be responsible for continuance of the disease; it takes about two weeks’ time to complete the multiplication cycle. The parasites can be attacked in the RBCs or in the liver.

Drugs that are generally used for malaria

Chloroquine

This is the drug of choice for benign tertian malaria which is usually caused by plasmodium vivax. The oral dose is 600 mg twice of chloroquine (base), followed after 6 hours by 300 mg, then 150mg twise daily, for the next two days. The other drug of this group is amodiaquine. However, some stains of P. falciparum are resistant to chloroquine. In such a situation, quinine is given intravenously. Chloroquine may cause nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. It can be given during pregnancy.

Mefloquine

It is used for treating an acute attack and curing malaria due to resistant strains of parasites. It should be kept reserved for only these patients of malaria, since its misuse may result in the development of mefloquine-resistant strains of the parasites. It is taken in a single dose of 1.5g.

Adverse Effects: Adverse effects of mefloquine are seen in about 1 % patients. These includes irritation in the stomach, fatigue, neurological symptoms in the form of headache, dizziness, visual disturbances, vertigo, tinnitus, insomnia, restlessness, anxiety psychosis, or seizures. It can produce heart-rate irregularities when given along with digoxin, anti-depressants and propranolol.

By: Franchis

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Global Fund uncovers flaws in malaria drug management

Drugs in storage: A routine audit by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has found that almost US$1 million worth of anti-malaria drugs are missing or have expired in Tanzania’s medical warehouses 

Malaria parasites ‘resist drugs’

International scientists say they have found the first evidence of resistance to the world’s most effective drug for treating malaria.

Drug-Resistant Malaria in Cambodia Raises Fears

Health & Medicine | Malaria in Cambodia is becoming increasingly resistant to one of strongest anti-malarial treatment available, according to a study published in the New England.  

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Don’t be bugged by the bites!

Preparing yourself is the topic for this part of our activity holidays guide.

Being prepared when you are planning on activity holidays almost guarantees that you will have a great time! You should pay attention to your physical condition, your level of expertise in the activities you’ll be undertaking, the equipment / gear you’ll need, and what clothing you take with you.

And something important that often gets forgotten is  insect repellant for mosquito control because it can get very uncomfortable without it and otherwise spoil what could be a very enjoyable and memorable holiday

You should engage in some aerobic activity (jogging, cycling, swimming, etc.) at least 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week as preparation. You should make sure you work up to a certain intensity level as you get closer to your activity holiday since you will probably be very physical through it with little down time.

Some things you will be doing like ice climbing or canoeing will not be practical to practice, but you can prepare for hiking and biking. If practicing for the specific activities on your holiday isn’t possible, the best fallbacks for preparation are cycling and walking.

You’ll be provided with a detailed list of gear and clothing to take and should ensure that you have every item on that list as it was created by an expert who knows exactly what you’ll need. Along with what your guide tells you is required for your holiday, you should also take a few small bags, like a backpack and a fanny pack, that will carry all of your personal necessities; larger bags will be cumbersome and might slow you down.

It is generally best to wear durable, comfortable, fast-drying garments, in layers. Bring with you your rain gear, hats to protect you from sun and colder weather, warm jackets, long slacks, shorts, long sleeved shirts to protect you from mosquito bites, extra garments for during non-sport activities, and one additional pair of shoes for in a situation where your primary pair of shoes become wet. You might also want to consider a bathing suit and eye protection. Also an anti itch cream if you do need mosquito bite treatment

Check to see if you will need to bring sleeping items such as a ground pad, tent, pillow and sleeping bag, or cooking equipment, such as cutlery and food. You can sometimes rent these items from the activity holiday company if you don’t already have them.

Your instructor / guide will have a group first aid kit but it’s advisable to also take your own with basics like bandages, aspirin and  insect repellant .

Technorati Tags: activity holidays, bite, insect, mosquito, preparation, prevention, repellant, treatment

Serious Infection From A Mosquito bite

Although most people bitten by Southwest Georgia’s ever-present mosquitoes don’t become sick, each year some residents aren’t so lucky.

“Unfortunately, every year around this time, we begin seeing cases of West Nile virus, which is a potentially dangerous mosquito-borne illness for which we have no vaccine,” said Southwest Health District Director Dr. Jacqueline Grant. “Only a few years ago, we had a death in the district attributed to West Nile virus.”

Last year, eight human cases of West Nile virus were confirmed in Georgia, including cases in Dougherty, Lee and Mitchell counties, she said.

Almost 29,000 people in the United States have been reported with West Nile virus disease since 1999, and of those 11,760 have been seriously ill and more than 1,100 have died.

“Traditionally, West Nile Virus incidences peak in August, and that’s right around the corner,” Grant said. “We know mosquitoes infected with West Nile breed here, which is why we recommend to residents of Southwest Georgia that they wear repellent and take other steps to avoid being bitten. At this time of year it is especially important not to drop your guard.”

Around 80 percent of those infected with West Nile show no symptoms; while up to 20 percent have symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a rash, she said.

“The older you are, the more likely that you could get severely ill if you get infected. People who have received an organ transplant are also at higher risk for severe disease,” Grant said. “Young children and people with compromised immune systems are also at increased risk. One out of roughly 150 infected with West Nile virus develop serious symptoms.”

There is no vaccine available for West Nile virus, she said.

“There is also no specific treatment. People with severe cases are hospitalized and receive supportive care such as intravenous fluids and respiratory treatment,” Grant said. “The best protection is to avoid getting bitten.”

Ways to reduce the risk include:

• Avoid outdoor activity when mosquitoes are most active—at dawn and dusk

• Cover exposed skin if you must be outside

• Use insect repellent with active ingredients such as DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus or picaridin

• Drain standing water

• Repair screens

Carolyn Maschke Published Friday, July 24, 2009  http://www.thepostsearchlight.com/news/2009/jul/24/single-mosquito-bite-can-cause-infection/

For more information about West Nile Virus, go online to www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org. Additional information is available at www.cdc.gov.

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So if you live in that area it is wise to take adequate precautions …

The Beaufort County Health Department is urging people to take additional precautions to prevent mosquito bites after a sentinel chicken tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis and two horses had to be euthanized because of EEE.

Spraying to help control mosquito populations is continuing across the county. Areas are being prioritized by locations that are seeing the greatest activity.

EEE is a rare disease. The viral illness, transmitted by some species of mosquitoes, attacks the central nervous system, causes inflammation of the brain and can be fatal to animals and humans. Wild birds serve as reservoirs for the virus. Mosquitoes bite the birds and then can transmit the virus to humans and animals.

North Carolina averages about one human case of EEE and about 10 equine cases each year. About fifty percent of human EEE cases are fatal, with young children and the elderly most at risk.

Symptoms include rapid onset of fever and headache and can resemble a case of the flu. Survivors of EEE infections may suffer from long-term effects to the nervous system.

The health department says the best defense for people against EEE infection is to avoid mosquito bites. Reduce time spent outdoors, particularly in early morning and early evening hours when mosquitoes are most active; wear light-colored long pants and long-sleeved shirts; and apply mosquito repellent.

Source:  http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/51626842.html

Eastern Equine Encephalitis found in Norfolk mosquito pool

NORFOLK The city’s public health department reported today the first Norfolk mosquito pool this season to test positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Officials also said they plan to conduct fogging operations

E E E reported in Baldwin County chicken

Eastern equine encephalitis, West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne viruses are transmitted from bird to mosquito to bird. Occasionally, when bird hosts are scarce, the same mosquitoes will take blood from mammals, including humans 

Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus

A viral infection that is transmitted to humans, horses, other domestic animals (including dogs and pigs), and wild birds through the bite of an infected mosquito.

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Mosquitoes have become a public health hazard in many areas.

There are many things you can do to get rid of mosquitoes and also to

minimize the risk of bites

How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes – What You Can Do to Minimize the Risk of Mosquito Bites

Over the past few years mosquitoes have developed from a nuisance into a real public health danger. These pests spread dangerous diseases such as the West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis as well as malaria and yellow fever.

It is more important than ever to protect your family from mosquito bites and learn

how to get rid of mosquitoes

While it may not be possible to completely eliminate the mosquito problem, there are many things you can do to greatly minimize the threat. Some of these things involve changing the surrounding area to be less habitable for the little buggers and some involve temporary measures to keep them away for a short period of time.

One of the easiest and most effective things you can do is to remove any standing water outside your house. This includes flower pots, buckets, pails, wheel barrows and bird feeders that may be filled with rain water. This standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes and you will never be rid of them until you can eliminate this factor. Empty water out of these containers on a regular basis, maybe even make a hole in the bottom so that they cannot hold water.

Another step you can take to get rid of mosquitoes is to eliminate as much brush and tall grass as you can. Mosquitoes love to hide in grassy, overgrown areas and if you can keep the lawn cut short and clear out any unwanted brush on your property it will really help cut down on the mosquito problem.

There are several types of plants that naturally repel mosquitoes. Some of these are horsemint, marigolds, catnip and rosemary. You can also use lemon eucalyptus oil as a mosquito repellent.

The next step to take against the mosquitoes is chemical warfare. There are several types of lawn treatments that you can spray on your lawn which contain DEET. These are fairly effective at keeping mosquitoes away from your property for up to 2 weeks at a time. Other chemical treatments can not only act as a mosquito repellent, but actually kill any larvae that are waiting to be hatched.

Other  mosquito repellent products such as citronella candles and any burning/smoking products have a limited radius so that they are not that effective over a wide area. One device that does have some effectiveness is the “mosquito magnet” type of device. These machines use propane gas to produce carbon dioxide which attracts mosquitoes. They are then trapped in a net inside the device where they die of dehydration. Some of these devices can attract mosquitoes from up to a whole acre away. One drawback to using these devices is that when they break down you will need to spend additional money on mosquito magnet replacement parts such as CO2 cartridges, trap netting, thermistors and of course you have to have a supply of propane gas too.

Mosquito repellent that you wear on your skin is also somewhat effective. Products that contain DEET are most effective, while some people swear that Avon’s Skin So Soft works just as well with DEET. You should wear long sleeves and pants to minimize the amount of exposed skin.

It is my hope that this essay has shown you how to get rid of mosquitoes. As you can see, there are several steps you can take to minimize the threat of mosquitoes. It takes a multi-layered approach to achieve real effectiveness. You can’t just perform one of these steps. To achieve real results you need to do as many of them as you can. If you do all of these things you will have a much better chance at enjoying your outdoor activities without worrying about mosquitoes.

How to get rid of mosquitoes
Learn how to get rid of mosquitoes  By Mike Francis

Getting Rid Of Pests In Your Vegetable Garden  Organic Gardening

Pesky insects and bugs are a problem for most vegetable gardeners. The majority of bugs are more of a nuisance than willfully destructive. 

Hit-or-Miss: Bugs Are Attracted To Light

We bought a UV flourescent bulb that was meant to attract the flying insects and electrecute them. It was almost great because mosquitos were also attracted to the light. Unfortunately, that bulb died for no reason at all 

Keep Those Insects Away With These Bug Nets

Not only will they protect you from mosquitoes and bees, but smaller insects as well. Perfect for home or even at the workplace, these nets are a must own if you have a bug problem. 

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Reports have come out on some eradication of several insects. Everett Griner gives his view on where some eradication of pesky insects could start.  

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Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite, Plasmodium, which infects red blood cells. Infected mosquitoes spread it.

The mosquito infects you through bites so prevention is important

Mosquito Bite treatment

People with malaria frequently experience fever, chills, and flu-like disease. Malaria is a main cause of death worldwide.

Detailed Info on Malaria

Approximately 300 million people worldwide are affected by malaria and between 1 and 1.5 million people die from it every year, but it is almost wiped out in the United States. The disease is frequently a problem in developing countries with warm climates. If you travel to these countries, you are at risk. People get malaria by being bitten by an infective female Anopheles mosquito. Only Anopheles mosquitoes can spread malaria and they must have been contaminated through an earlier blood meal taken on a contaminated being. When a mosquito bites an infected person, a little amount of blood is taken in which contains microscopic malaria parasites. About 1 week later, when the mosquito takes its next blood meal, these parasites mix with the mosquito’s saliva and are injected into the person being bitten. Because the malaria parasite is found in red blood cells of an infected person, malaria can also be transmitted through blood transfusion, organ transplant, or the shared employ of needles or syringes contaminated with blood.

Symptoms of malaria comprise fever, headache, and vomiting. Malaria may reason anemia and jaundice (fair coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. Malaria is not extending from person to person like a cold or the flu, and it cannot be sexually transmitted. You cannot get malaria from casual contact with malaria-infected people, such as sitting next to someone who has malaria. Treatment of malaria involves supportive measures as well as exact anti malarial drugs. Anti-malarial drugs can be prescribed to people traveling to areas where malaria is prevalent.

The types of anti-malarial medications prescribed will rely on the drug-resistance patterns in the areas to be visited. Chloroquine is an often used anti-malarial medication, but quinidine or quinine, or the amalgamation of pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine, are given for chloroquine-resistant infections.

People on anti-malarial medications may still become infected. Prevention is better than cure. Avoid mosquito bites by wearing protective clothing over the arms and legs and using screens on windows. Use of mosquito nets and insect repellents can decrease the chance of getting infected.

By: Juliet Cohen

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com   Juliet Cohen writes articles for beauty blog. She also writes articles for new hairstyles and hairstyles blog.

Tamiflu stockpiles vary widely throughout world

“And you can confuse the symptoms with malaria, so that’s very problematic.” Garman said there is a strong correlation between a country’s antiviral stocks and its level of preparedness for dealing with a possible pandemic

Pro Health Article – Malaria Microchip

Fever, headache, and vomiting are the symptoms of malaria and they normally appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated immediately and rightly, Malaria can be life threatening. 

World Malaria Day

While there is no vaccine for malaria, there are antimalaria medications available that can reduce the risk of developing symptoms of the disease. These medications will not provide 100 per cent protection against the disease.

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