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Dengue fever - Is is as scary as its made out to be?! |
 Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 7:14 pm |
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| Hey all!
Am just about to go get all my jabs and tabs before my travels - i leave for a 6 week trek of Oz on New Years day, followed by a 4 month visit to Asia. Just read up on all of the nasties, and im a tad concerned about this Dengue fever thing - everything i read is so...negative! "Its very common in travellers", "no vaccine", "feels like your bones are breaking", "a second bite can lead to death"... Ive been bitten four times by mozzies this week - in my own house! Ive always been a main target for the little buggers on holidays... Is it as common/as much of a risk as the books make out? Over hyped?...or should i start planning a full body suit as opposed to a bathing suit? lol! Has anyone had this? Im camping in the Cairns region which was hit with an outbreak this year, and im told that Asia is riddled with it more than Malaria. Thank you!! xxx |
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| Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:25 pm |
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| I don't know too much about it either. I wouldn't worry tooooo much about it - there's not a lot you can do apart from wear repellent.
I do know someone who had it, I think he said he was ill for about two weeks. Spent 2 days in hospital. Not sure whether that's a normal case. I travelled for a year and only met that ONE person who had had it. I met a fair few people! There's a risk, but I don't thik it's huge. Don't worry about it too much! |
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 3:33 am |
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| Dengue isn't very common but it can happen. It's like a really bad flu when you get it, and as it's nickname 'Breakbone fever' suggests, it can feel like your bones have broken.
Just wear repellent during the day (as they bite from dawn until dusk, unlike malaria mosquitoes which bite from dusk 'til dawn) and by preventing yourself being bitten you'll have less chance of getting sick. It's not life threatening unless you have other medical problems. Just like 'flu can kill, but it's not necessarily life threatening. I'm in Nicaragua at the moment and I saw an billboard advert for medicine to help with the symptoms of dengue fever. It's not really a big deal and I wouldn't concern yourself too much. Just keep applying your repellent and you'll be fine. |
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:23 am |
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| You're going to get bitten by mosquitos. The chances that you'll get Dengue from it? Slim.
If it happens, it happens, but as long as you take the necessary precautions, there's no point worrying about it. I found that the best repellant was when I switched to drinking Vodka and tonic. The quinnine (sp) in the tonic water stopped me getting bitten almost entirely. I'm not saying to start bathing in tonic or anything, though! |
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:38 am |
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You're going to get bitten by mosquitos. The chances that you'll get Dengue from it? Slim.
If it happens, it happens, but as long as you take the necessary precautions, there's no point worrying about it. I found that the best repellant was when I switched to drinking Vodka and tonic. The quinnine (sp) in the tonic water stopped me getting bitten almost entirely. I'm not saying to start bathing in tonic or anything, though! Haha I used to put tonic water on myself after my mum told me to. Didn't do much good personally (though mozzies see me as a gourmet meal usually), but DEET 50% pretty much kept me bite free. |
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 2:06 pm |
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| Oo I didn't know that about tonic! I get attacked by mozzies, and I have tried thousands of repellents and none of them seem to work for me - whether the Deet is 10/20% or 50%! They love me.
I am now drinking vodka and tonic forever! What about gin does that do the same?! Wow. Gets rid of mosquitos AND its healthy (ish! Well it won't make me have a beer belly) |
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:37 pm |
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Thank you for the tips! Definately loving that someone has suggested alcohol in response to this!  |
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 7:43 pm |
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I am now drinking vodka and tonic forever! What about gin does that do the same?! Yep. And not only will it keep the mozzies away, but it looks really cool under neon bar lights. |
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:52 pm |
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Yep. And not only will it keep the mozzies away, but it looks really cool under neon bar lights. You always do have the best facts to contribute :-) Gin might be good at keeping mozzies away, but it's good for keeping unwanted suitors away too, it makes you smell rank 
x |
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| Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 11:07 am |
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this made me laugh 
If you drink too much tonic though... it does affect your hearing (quinine knocks out the OHCs inside your ear - it is temporary, and i think you have to consume quite a lot - but if you were drinking it as mossie repellant...!) |
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