Mosquitoes can carry a wide variety of diseases that can leave many travelers on edge about venturing to exotic parts of the world. But if you protect yourself properly and stay at accommodations that treat their rooms / suites for insects, you should have nothing to worry about.
Some of the most common mosquito-borne illnesses around the globe include Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, and Malaria. Malaria, for example, can be found throughout Central and South America, Africa, and India (as well as other parts of Asia), while Yellow Fever is transmitted in South America and Africa.
The good news is that there are several ways to protect yourself against these mosquito-borne illnesses, and practically guarantee you never fall ill with these illnesses.
First, a few things to note in regards to malaria:
- People who live in southern and eastern Africa (where we send all of our clients) don’t take malaria pills and most of them never end up ever getting malaria.
- If you would rather not take malaria pills and don’t want to risk getting malaria because of that, there are several EXCELLENT malaria- and yellow-fever-free destinations to choose from.
- Malaria is curable and preventable (although it certainly isn’t fun to get!).
- The Anopheles mosquito species is the only species to transmit malaria.
- Anopheles mosquitoes bite at night and are more frequent during specific seasons (typically during the rainy season).
- There are no vaccines to prevent malaria, but there are pills to prevent its transmission.
A few things to note in regards to Yellow Fever:
- There is a vaccine for Yellow Fever and it is highly effective
- Yellow Fever is highly treatable but there is no specific treatment to cure it.
- Yellow Fever is transmitted when a mosquito carries the virus from one host to the next. They typically bite a monkey and then transmit the virus to a human when they bite.
Below are some of the best ways to prevent yourself from contracting a mosquito-borne illness while on an African safari vacation:
- Visit a local Passport Health center or your primary physician to discuss the mosquito-borne illnesses found in the areas you will be visiting during your trip to Africa. They will provide you with the vaccinations and medications you need.
- If you are visiting a Yellow Fever area you are often required to receive the Yellow Fever vaccination prior to departing for your trip. Many countries will require proof of vaccination upon entering. Check with your African safari vacation specialist to determine which countries require proof of vaccination.
- If you are traveling to an area that has malaria, we highly recommend taking malaria tablets during your trip. There are a variety of tablets that can help prevent malaria, so speak with your healthcare provider about the best option for you.
- When outside, be sure to spray yourself thoroughly with a bug spray that contains at least 30% Deet. You can also treat your clothing with bug spray prior to departure. Malaria-carrying mosquitoes are out primarily at night, so it’s important to make sure you’ve sprayed yourself at night.
- Make sure to stay in reputable accommodations during your African safari vacation. These accommodations will provide mosquito nets around the beds and also treat the inside of the tents or rooms with eco-friendly insecticides to create a barrier against mosquitoes.
- If you are out on safari and the mosquitoes are very active make sure to wear long sleeves and long pants to prevent insect bites.
