(BPT) - A warmer planet means more mosquitoes. These insects are more than an itchy nuisance. A bite from an infected mosquito can lead to diseases. If planning a trip this holiday season to where the mosquitoes are, here are five ways you can protect yourself before you travel:

• Know the destinations where mosquitoes are thriving. You may be surprised. Mosquitoes carrying diseases are now found in European countries such as France, Croatia, Italy, Portugal and Spain, in addition to other popular travel destinations including Brazil, Argentina, Central America, India, Asia, Mexico, and the Caribbean.¹

• Get a travel health consult up to a month before you leave home: There are many resources such as specialty travel clinics, pharmacies in many states, and healthcare professionals with travel health expertise. You can also check out the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Travelers’ Health portal. The good news is several mosquito-borne diseases can be prevented with vaccines.

• Pack mosquito repellant, wear long-sleeved, light-colored clothing, and, when possible, ask for windows covered with mosquito screens in your accommodation.

• Learn more about what attracts mosquitoes. For example, what blood type are you? Published data show mosquitoes are more likely to bite Type O over A, B, or AB.²

• Plan activities with mosquito-awareness: The peak biting activity of the breed of mosquito known for carrying diseases including Chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, and Zika is after sunrise and at sunset.³

Mosquito-borne diseases can be very serious. The symptoms of Chikungunya, for example, include joint pain, arthritis-like symptoms, fatigue and potentially debilitating effects which can last for months or even years. Many who experience severe infection never fully recover.^4,5 Incidence of Chikungunya has now been reported in more than 110 countries.⁶ Visit www.chik-a-what.com to learn more.

More mosquitoes and higher incidence of mosquito-borne diseases are becoming the new normal. More awareness and preparation should be, too.

Sources

1. https://www.trade.gov/us-international-air-travel-statistics-i-92-data
2. https://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/article/10.11648/j.aje.20190302.13?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0QBSGtK43QGfr5_c3zbRQIZN2vM8AbsfcEVR9Kd_zgF_LfgDJLkyvbDys_aem_DxSCR1lPAp1qlHUHFYwD7Q
3. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2024/environmental-hazards-risks/mosquitoes-ticks-and-other-arthropods#:~:text=Mosquitoes%20bite%20throughout%20the%20day,and%20at%20sunset%20(dusk)
4. Puntasecca CJ, King CH, LaBeaud AD. "Measuring the global burden of chikungunya and Zika viruses: A systematic review." PLOS Negl Trop Dis 15, no. 3 (2021): e0009055.
5. Paixão, E. S., Rodrigues, L. C., Costa, M., Itaparica, M., Barreto, F., Gérardin, P., & Teixeira, M. G. "Chikungunya chronic disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
6. Chikungunya. World Health Organization. Published December 8, 2022. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chikungunya