BS: Zika repellent

Subject: BS: Zika repellent
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Jun 16 - 04:33 PM

Time your repellent for 7 - 11 AM and 3 to 7 PM outdoor/indoor exposure.


Effective brands

Picardin seems to be the best ingredient.

Safety? I don't know.

Subject: RE: BS: Zika repellent
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jun 16 - 04:58 PM

I've travelled through and stayed in many tropical areas where there are mosquitoes, sometimes in cities (Dakar in Senegal, Accra in Ghana for instance) where the mosquitoes are less noticeable, and out in the bush ( eg southern Senegal, northern Cote d'Ivoire) where the blasted things fill the air. I have never found any repellent actually repels effectively. I've always taken my anti-malarials of course, and have never contracted malaria, but the wretched brutes manage to bite me no matter what I spray, smear, burn or waft. I imagine the Zika-carrying mozzies are just as ferocious. And (as with malaria) one bite is all you need.
I've always made sure I've got a mosquito-net over my bed at night, but, contrary to popular belief, they bite at any time, even at noon. I've had a face swollen like a pudding. And all my toes merging into one with swollen and infected bites. One needs one of those bee-keeper's suits with a veil!

Subject: RE: BS: Zika repellent
From: Rapparee
Date: 19 Jun 16 - 09:35 PM

DEET is the only effective repellent.

Subject: RE: BS: Zika repellent
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Jun 16 - 10:50 PM

No it's not, Rap. Picaridin is also effective.

Subject: RE: BS: Zika repellent
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Jun 16 - 10:57 PM

Four Best Repellents (But watch out for the loud autoplay ads)

Subject: RE: BS: Zika repellent
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Jun 16 - 11:06 PM

Most mosquitoes that bite people do so at dusk and dawn, but some are active at other times. Some types of mosquitoes are attracted to light, but not all. All of them are attracted to CO2, though. Body chemistry and what your skin "smells" like to them also affects their fondness for you.

Subject: RE: BS: Zika repellent
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Jun 16 - 03:51 AM

I seem to be particularly attractive to mozzies. They can smell me a mile off. And my skin reacts fiercely, with egg-sized swellings.
I always wear long tightly-wrapped-around African skirts and long-sleeved tops, but sandals are my downfall, and my face is a good target. I've considered Doc Martin boots, but it's 30-40 degrees where I've been, and you'd roast.

If I were worried about Zika, I don't think repellents on their own would be a safe protection to be honest. Just one bite...

Subject: RE: BS: Zika repellent
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Jun 16 - 10:05 PM

Don't forget the Zika carrying mosquitos are domestic varieties like house flies that only gather in and around homes.

Subject: RE: BS: Zika repellent
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Jun 16 - 03:58 AM

That's interesting Donuel. I've seen on TV men with insecticide sprayers going round the streets in Brazil, and concentrating on any bits of water where the insects might be breeding. The problem is, one could never eradicate the species completely, and unless a vaccine can be devised, I'd imagine the risk remains.

I'm going to look up now the exact mosquito type which carries Zika. I had no idea it was different to the malaria-carrying one!

Regarding the fact that mosquitoes need water to breed, I was rather puzzled by that fact when in sub-Saharan Africa. In Senegal, the rains had failed for five years and many villages had been abandoned because their wells had gone down beyond reach. The whole place was as dry as dust, not a drop of water in sight. But the blooming mozzies were as numerous as ever. And out in the bush, there aren't many people to bite, so where do the mosquitoes get the blood to suck? Do they just wait until Senoufou gets there and make do with her?

The other thing which interested me was that planes coming in to Gatwick and Heathrow from the tropics can have mozzies on board. They get in while the planes are boarding. One or two cabin cleaners had contracted malaria, but had never left UK. Now the cabin crew spray insecticide above the heads of the passengers once the doors are shut.

Subject: RE: BS: Zika repellent
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Jun 16 - 05:30 AM

Well, I've just Googled, and it's quite amazing! There are apparently about 3,500 species of mozzie! Sorted into 40 or so groups. And the Anopheles ones (females) are the ones that transmit malaria. (Which I did know about)

The Zika-carrying type is Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. They also carry dengue and chikungunya.
Crumbs! Even nastier than I thought then!

Thank you Donuel for that; I do like to know everything!

(Considering the numerous visits I've made to W Africa, I can see I've been very lucky so far not to catch something dire. My husband had a tumbu larva growing in his leg, horrible, enormous intestinal worms and countless bouts of malaria. I've only had giardiasis, caught in Ghana. Not nice, but not life-threatening.)

Subject: RE: BS: Zika repellent
From: bobad
Date: 21 Jun 16 - 06:51 PM

Zika Vaccine Ready for Human Trials