10 top tips before you travel

3 mins
Women spraying insect repellent on her arm

 

Are you planning a trip?

Dengue can lead to a wide spectrum of symptoms, from the rather mild or unnoticeable (which is most often the case) to those that may require medical intervention, hospitalization, or in extreme cases, it may even result in death.1

 

Ensure your travels are memorable for the right reasons with these common tips on avoiding mosquitoes and dengue fever.

 

Health preparation:

  1. Contact your doctor early: Discuss dengue preventative measures well in advance.2

     

  2. Vaccines have recently become available for dengue and several are also in development: Ask your healthcare provider for more information.3,4

     

  3. Documentation: It is advisable to carry a copy of your prescriptions, a letter from your doctor, and translations of any medical documents.5

     

  4. If you need to take prescription medications with you for existing conditions: Ensure you have enough for your trip and check the rules for all the countries you're going to. Some countries will have different regulations about the types of medicine they allow to be taken into the country and the maximum quantity you can take in.5

 

Information gathering:

  1. Proactive steps begin with thorough research about your destination. Learn more about the risk at your travel destination with this risk checker.

 

Precautions against dengue-carrying mosquitoes:

  1. Be environmentally aware: Be especially cautious in warm climates, especially during or after rainy seasons.1

     

  2. Pack smart: Carry insect repellents (for example, DEET), loose-fitting clothing, and permethrin-treated clothing.6,7

     

  3. Sleep safely: Use mosquito nets treated with insecticide to protect against day and night-biting mosquitoes.6

 

Travel insurance basics:

  1. Purchase travel insurance with the appropriate cover: You may want to get insurance as soon as possible after you have booked your trip. It is also a good idea to take your insurance policy details with you when you travel.8

     

  2. Important coverages to consider:8

  • Emergency treatment and hospital bills

  • Emergency transport, for example an ambulance or helicopter

  • Emergency repatriation for medical reasons

  • A new ticket to come home if you can’t use your original ticket

  • The cost of a family member or friend to stay with you or help you home

  • 24-hour assistance helplines to advise you about appropriate treatment

  • Repatriation costs in the event of death abroad

 

By embracing these measures, travelers can help to make their journeys memorable for all the right reasons – adventure, discovery, and good memories.

 

You can read more about risk factors for dengue here.

 

 

Related content
5 facts about dengue

Discover five important dengue facts for travelers in this animated video. Learn about the transmission of dengue through mosquito bites, its global prevalence in over 125 countries, the levels of infection severity, the increased risk with second infections, and preventive measures travelers can take, urging viewers to consult their doctors for medical advice.

03:33

References

  1. World Health Organization. Dengue and severe dengue. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed December 2023.

  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Avoid Dengue by Preventing Mosquito Bites. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dvbd/media/avoid-dengue.html. Accessed December 2023.

  3. Ooi EE, et al. Sci Transl Med. 2023;15(704):eadh3067.

  4. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed December 2023.

  5. NHS. Can I take my medicine abroad? Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/medicines/can-i-take-my-medicine-abroad/. Accessed November 2023

  6. Fit For Travel. Mosquito Bite Avoidance. Available at: https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/malaria/mosquito-bite-avoidance#Nets. Accessed December 2023.

  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Avoid Dengue by Preventing Mosquito Bites. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/mosquito-bites/prevent-mosquito-bites.html. Accessed January 2024.

  8. GOV.UK. Guidance: Foreign travel insurance. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/foreign-travel-insurance#what-your-travel-insurance-policy-should-cover. Accessed December 2023.

It’s time to talk about dengue

With dengue cases rising and no specific cure available, prevention is key1,2

 

Learn how to help protect yourself from mosquito bites and from dengue.

 

Contact your local health expert to talk about how to help prevent dengue.

Analogue alarm clock with mosquito on the edge
Analogue alarm clock with mosquito on the edge
  1. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed February 2024.
  2. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2023-DON498#. Accessed February 2024.

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Aedes aegypti mosquito

Test your knowledge of dengue!

Can bites from male or female dengue-carrying mosquitoes infect humans?

Male bites
Female bites

Correct

 

Male mosquitoes feed on flower nectar and fruit juices and not blood.1 Only female mosquitoes feed on hosts such as humans, whose blood provides the protein they need to help their eggs develop.1

 

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you suspect you have symptoms of dengue or have questions about your risk.

 

Learn more about dengue.

 

  1. The National Environment Agency. Vector Borne Diseases. Available at: https://www.nea.gov.sg/corporate-functions/resources/research/wolbachia-aedes-mosquito-suppression-strategy/male-mosquitoes-do-not-bite. Accessed January 2024.

Incorrect

 

Diseases such as dengue are not spread to humans by the bites of male Aedes mosquitoes; in fact, they don’t even bite humans.1 Only female mosquitoes feed on hosts such as humans, whose blood provides the protein they need to help their eggs develop.1

 

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you suspect you have symptoms of dengue or have questions about your risk.

 

Learn more about dengue or try again!

 

  1. The National Environment Agency. Vector Borne Diseases. Available at: https://www.nea.gov.sg/corporate-functions/resources/research/wolbachia-aedes-mosquito-suppression-strategy/male-mosquitoes-do-not-bite. Accessed January 2024.

Dengue Epidemics Continue to Devastate Communities1-3

 

Dengue outbreaks set various new records in 2023, and it could be shaping up to be the same in 20241-3

World globe with mosquito crawling up the side
World globe with mosquito crawling up the side
  1. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2023;22:100539.
  2. La Monde. Available at: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/environment/article/2024/02/13/brazil-threatened-by-an-unprecedented-dengue-epidemic_6519658_114.html. Accessed February 2024.
  3. Mahmud AS, et al. J Infect Dis. 2024;229(1):4-6. Accessed February 2024.

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Dengue and Climate Change: A Crisis Intertwined

A warming climate is helping get dengue-carrying mosquitoes on the move1

Low water level in drought area
Low water level in drought area
  1. Liu-Helmersson J, et al. Environ Res. 2019;172:693-699.

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