Safeguarding Against Mosquitoes

It's a well known fact that some of the most dangerous diseases like malaria and dengue are transmitted through mosquito bites. Once a carrier bites a person, there is very little one can do to prevent sickness. Safety against mosquitoes can be achieved only through preventive measures.

As summer is round the corner, mosquitoes will soon be seen everywhere. We will just have to cope with them. Interestingly, one can take measures against mosquitoes at various levels - at a community level, at a household level and at a personal level.

Open garbage dumps, stagnant pools of water and open drainage - all make excellent mosquito breeding grounds. The way to prevent mosquito breeding is to get your local city administration to take care of these issues. If that takes time, try to eradicate all sources of stagnant water and fill drainage portholes with mud. Professional pesticide control guys can also be contacted to fumigate the area. Fumigation is usually effective for a month. Unfortunately, mosquitoes have a tendency to build quick immunity against pesticides; hence chemical repellent based prevention is usually short-term. The only way to reduce the mosquito count in your area is to destroy their breeding grounds.

In the tropics, the large green cover is the natural ecosystem for mosquitoes and other insects. If you live near a park, a lake or a forest reserve, then chances are that there will be high mosquito count near your home. The solution is to put up screens for your doors and windows that allow the wind and the light to pass through, but prevent insects for coming through. For an errant mosquito or two, use mosquito repellants.

The market is flooded with mosquito repellants. The most popular are the electronic repellants that function by releasing a solution in the air that renders the atmosphere mosquito free. These repellents are perceived as less harmful to humans as they don't emit strong smells or involve any application of chemicals on the skin.

Spray-on mosquito repellants are also popular and are more satisfying as their results are more immediate. However, there are hygiene issues related with this, as the spray leaves behind chemical residues on all objects in the environment where it is sprayed. Though these chemicals will be harmless to us in small amounts, repeated consumption or inhalation of chemical sprays is surely not be good for us.

Avoid areas where there is a large concentration of mosquitoes. Avoid walks in the garden or by the lake at dusk or dawn - that is the time when mosquitoes are the most active. If you must go out, then wear protective long sleeved shirts and full-length trousers. Spray on DEET based repellents if you plan to go camping or trekking in the woods.

In spite of all this, you could still get bitten by a mosquito. It's quite possible that the bite was harmless - it will itch for a day or two and disappear. If the itching or swelling bothers you try applying an icepack to cool the bitten area. One could also use calamine or anti-itching lotions to relive oneself of itching. Other remedies that are applicable to insect bites are also appropriate for mosquito bites.