Mosquitoes In Bangkok?

[HugoFastor]

At the moment I feel like there are more mosquitoes around in Bangkok than I’ve seen in a long time. I know it’s partly because of the rainy season, but I do feel like there are many more than usual right now. For those of you also living in Bangkok, has anyone noticed the same?

[RayWright]

Can't say about BKK, but definitely a few more than last year down at Na Jomtien. Got the plugins working overtime, still got 2 bites last night. Annoying little critters.

[HugoFastor]

Thanks. I guess if they seem bad in Bangkok then they will likely be bad elsewhere in Thailand too. I used to use those plugins, but started to think breathing in the vapors of those toxic chemicals for hours may not be good. So I stopped. Anyway, yes, useless and annoying little creatures, but I guess they feed the geckos and other small animals, so a necessary part of the overall food chain. I think my biggest concern though is the possible increased risk of malaria and dengue fever. 

[n00dle]

i live in a house with a large wild(ish) lot next door in the middle of lower sukhumvit, its like bloody wild kingdom, snakes, skinks, squirrels, and all sorts of creatures in between. No shortage of mosquitos year-round.

Great bird watching too. 

[HugoFastor]

At the moment I feel like I'm even now getting bitten indoors inside of commercial buildings where I've never seen mosquitoes before. 

[GammaGlobulin]

The bite of the mosquitoes, at least one variety, is extremely painful.

This particular species is worse than the bite of those anywhere else in the world I have been.

 

The pain and itching can last for up to a week, or more.

 

This is why I use ACs 24/7/365.

 

When I was young, and in New England, the weather during the spring, summer and early autumn was magnificent.

No need for ACs at any time.

 

But now we live in a radically different world.

Nothing but high humidity, smoke, mosquitoes, motosai without mufflers, and much more.

 

I never open my windows in Chiang Mai, and BKK is probably worse.

 

Yes, there are a lot of mosquitoes around my house.

But, there are very many every year.

 

I haven't counted them using some sort of counting device that I do not have the money to buy.

 

And, what about dengue fever, too?

 

I was at the hospital a month ago to refill a prescription, and I saw a young man lying on a gurney (NO not laying on a gurney!).

He kept telling the nurse how much pain he was in.

And, the hospital kept giving him forms to sign, and taking his credit card info.

 

So, I just hope I do not get dengue from the mosquitoes around my house.

That's all I have to say.

Mosquitoes are painful enough, even without dengue, however.

 

 

Edited July 10 by GammaGlobulin

[HugoFastor]

22 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

The bite of the mosquitoes, at least one variety, is extremely painful.

This particular species is worse than the bite of those anywhere else in the world I have been.

 

The pain and itching can last for up to a week, or more.

 

This is why I use ACs 24/7/365.

 

When I was young, and in New England, the weather during the spring, summer and early autumn was magnificent.

No need for ACs at any time.

 

But now we live in a radically different world.

Nothing but high humidity, smoke, mosquitoes, motosai without mufflers, and much more.

 

I never open my windows in Chiang Mai, and BKK is probably worse.

 

Yes, there are a lot of mosquitoes around my house.

But, there are very many every year.

 

I haven't counted them using some sort of counting device that I do not have the money to buy.

 

And, what about dengue fever, too?

 

I was at the hospital a month ago to refill a prescription, and I saw a young man lying on a gurney (NO not laying on a gurney!).

He kept telling the nurse how much pain he was in.

And, the hospital kept giving him forms to sign, and taking his credit card info.

 

So, I just hope I do not get dengue from the mosquitoes around my house.

That's all I have to say.

Mosquitoes are painful enough, even without dengue, however.

 

 

Thailand is home to approximately 460 different species of mosquitoes. These include medically significant varieties like the Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex genera, which are known for transmitting diseases such as dengue, malaria, and Japanese encephalitis.
 

The tiger mosquito, also known as Aedes albopictus, is one of the prominent mosquito species found in Thailand. This species is notable for its distinctive black-and-white striped body and legs. It is a vector for various diseases, including dengue fever and chikungunya. The tiger mosquito is particularly adept at breeding in a wide range of natural and artificial containers filled with water, giving it a large presence in both urban and rural areas.
 

Luckily, the new Qdenga vaccine for Dengue, developed by Takeda in Japan and released late last year, is shown to have a 90% efficacy at preventing hospitalization and serious symptoms from Dengue. Although I've have received both of the doses of the vaccine already, I still rather not FAAFO. 
 

I also had the Japanese encephalitis vaccine many years ago, but the good news is that there's still a generally low incidence of that disease in Thailand. 
 

I think this year there have already been about 30 deaths from Dengue in Thailand, not to mention all the hundreds of other people hospitalized from it and who suffered greatly, but survived. But they are expecting closer to 300 deaths from it by the end of this year. That may sound like a small number in some ways relative to the size of the population, but it's a fairly high number, considering the average number of people that usually get infected with the disease on an annual basis when compared to something like the flu.

 

 

Edited July 10 by HugoFastor

[GammaGlobulin]

7 minutes ago, HugoFastor said:

Thailand is home to approximately 460 different species of mosquitoes. These include medically significant varieties like the Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex genera, which are known for transmitting diseases such as dengue, malaria, and Japanese encephalitis.
 

The tiger mosquito, also known as Aedes albopictus, is one of the prominent mosquito species found in Thailand. This species is notable for its distinctive black-and-white striped body and legs. It is a vector for various diseases, including dengue fever and chikungunya. The tiger mosquito is particularly adept at breeding in a wide range of natural and artificial containers filled with water, giving it a large presence in both urban and rural areas.
 

Luckily the new Qdenga vaccine for Dengue developed by Takeda and released late last year is shown to have a 90% efficacy at preventing hospitalization and serious symptoms from Dengue. Although I've have received both doses of the vaccine already, I still rather not FAAFO. 
 

I also had the Japanese encephalitis vaccine many years ago, but the good news is that there's a low incidence of that disease overall in Thailand. 
 

I think this year there have already been about 30 deaths from Dengue in Thailand, not to mention all the hundreds of other people hospitalized from it and survived. But they are expecting closer to 300 deaths from it by the end of this year. That may sound like a small number in someways relative to the size of the population, but it's a fairly high number, considering the average number of people that usually get infected with the disease on an annual basis.

 

 

 

Regarding the dengue vaccine, I had thought that this vaccine was not given or recommended unless one had already contracted dengue once previously.

Although, I am not sure if this information is supported by valid evidence, or by the supplier of the vaccine.

 

 

[HugoFastor]

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Regarding the dengue vaccine, I had thought that this vaccine was not given or recommended unless one had already contracted dengue once previously.

Although, I am not sure if this information is supported by valid evidence, or by the supplier of the vaccine.

Yes, that was true for the older Dengue vaccine released years ago. This new one is recommended for anyone up to the age of 65.  It's only available in Asia and Europe at the moment I believe and is not being distributed in the USA.
 

Chatgpt summary:

Qdenga is a vaccine developed by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company to protect against all four serotypes of the dengue virus. It is designed to be administered to people from the age of four and older, regardless of previous dengue exposure. This broad eligibility makes Qdenga distinct compared to other dengue vaccines, such as Dengvaxia, which is only recommended for individuals who have had a previous dengue infection due to safety concerns.

 

Here are the key details about Qdenga:

### Composition and Administration
- **Components**: The vaccine is based on a live-attenuated dengue virus.
- **Doses**: Qdenga is administered in a two-dose series, with doses given three months apart.

### Effectiveness
- **Protection**: Qdenga has shown efficacy in preventing dengue disease caused by all four dengue virus serotypes.
- **Clinical Trials**: Clinical trials demonstrated that Qdenga significantly reduces the incidence of dengue illness and hospitalizations.

### Safety
- **Side Effects**: Common side effects are typically mild and include pain at the injection site, fever, and headache.
- **Monitoring**: Like all vaccines, Qdenga continues to be monitored for safety and effectiveness in real-world use.

### Eligibility
- **Age Range**: The vaccine is approved for individuals aged four years and older.
- **Dengue Exposure**: Unlike some other dengue vaccines, Qdenga can be given to both seropositive (previously infected) and seronegative (never infected) individuals.

### Approval and Use
- **Regulatory Approval**: Qdenga has been approved by various health authorities, with approval status varying by country.
- **Public Health Impact**: The broad eligibility for Qdenga is expected to help control dengue outbreaks more effectively by providing protection to a larger portion of the population.

### Implementation
- **Vaccination Programs**: Public health authorities are incorporating Qdenga into vaccination programs, especially in dengue-endemic regions.

- **Accessibility**: Efforts are underway to ensure the vaccine is accessible to populations at risk of dengue, including through public health campaigns and partnerships.

In summary, Qdenga is a significant advancement in the fight against dengue, offering broad protection for individuals aged four and older, irrespective of their dengue infection history. Its introduction is poised to have a considerable impact on reducing the global burden of dengue.

 

 

[steven100]

do these work ....   are mosquitos attracted to the UV light on these ?

 

have any of you guys tried one   ?

 

[ignis]

38 minutes ago, steven100 said:

do these work ....   are mosquitos attracted to the UV light on these ?

 

have any of you guys tried one   ?

 

can only say they work but to well..

 

in Portugal 30 years ago a friend bought one and hung on there porch/outside eating area, while they ate lots were zapped, they forgot to turn it off over night next morning the walls were alive with Mossies as well as 1000's dead ones on the table and floor

[mfd101]

So is Qdenga available in Thailand yet? in rural Thailand (Isaan)?

[7euner]

I was skeptical about this, but decided to give it a try anyway. It works. It gets unpleasently hot for 5 seconds, but then it does not itch anymore. 

[jesimps]

I went out in the garden to do some work this morning and had to come back inside, there were swarms of them about. Never known it like this in all my time here, in fact I always think of the Pattaya coastal area as being relatively mozzie free. You normally pick up a few bites at dusk, but that's about it, never usually in the open when the sun's out. Better be careful, don't want to pick up the old dengue.

[HugoFastor]

3 hours ago, mfd101 said:

So is Qdenga available in Thailand yet? in rural Thailand (Isaan)?

Yes, all the major private hospitals in Bangkok have it. The price is pretty standard at 5,000 Baht for the two dose regiment. Normally paid in full when getting the first dose and then return for the second dose after 3 months. Try contacting the major private hospitals in your province. Should be able to find it. 

[HugoFastor]

The dengue situation not looking good:

 

https://thethaiger.com/guides/best-of/health/dengue-infections-in-thailand-reach-record-44387-cases-in-first-six-months-of-2024

[Photoguy21]

On 7/10/2024 at 10:22 PM, HugoFastor said:

At the moment I feel like there are more mosquitoes around in Bangkok than I’ve seen in a long time. I know it’s partly because of the rainy season, but I do feel like there are many more than usual right now. For those of you also living in Bangkok, has anyone noticed the same?

Cant honestly say I have seen more than usual.

[OneMoreFarang]

I live in a high floor in the middle of the city, and I am seldom near standing water. I can't remember when I last saw even one mosquito. 

[HugoFastor]

In 2023, Thailand had about 40,000 cases of dengue:

 

https://www.unmc.edu/healthsecurity/transmission/2023/06/14/thailand-reports-a-nearly-500-increase-in-dengue-in-2023/

 

That's about 5X as many cases than in 2022. 
 

And this year, almost 45,000 cases reported in the first 6 months according to the Thaiger link above.
 

So it's on track now to double again from 2023 and 10X the number of cases as in 2022. 

[FritsSikkink]

On 7/11/2024 at 4:23 AM, steven100 said:

do these work ....   are mosquitos attracted to the UV light on these ?

 

have any of you guys tried one   ?

 

Yes, they do work.

[steven100]

16 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Yes, they do work.

Thank you Frits ...

 

I've decided to buy this 2-in-1 unit ....   can have on all night with the UV light on ...

 

 

 

and 2 x of these plug in repellants ...

 

[CharlieH]

From last night......yeah they work 😉

[steven100]

6 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

From last night......yeah they work 😉

 

Wow  !    that's pretty good ......    so they do actually work .....  haha

[steven100]

18 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

From last night......yeah they work 😉

 

Now you got me thinking ....    but I'll get the tennis racket first ...  then maybe this one if need be,   my place isn't really large so the racket & 2 repellants might be enough ...  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 18 by steven100

[CharlieH]

16 minutes ago, steven100 said:

 

Now you got me thinking ....    but I'll get the tennis racket first ...  then maybe this one if need be,   my place isn't really large so the racket & 2 repellants might be enough ...  

 

 

 

 

 

The racket needs you to operate it, the lamp doesn't. 😉👍[after you turned it on)

[steven100]

8 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

The racket needs you to operate it, the lamp doesn't. 😉👍[after you turned it on)

 

no .... that racket has a cradle stand and built in UV light ... so it can run all night the same as a stand alone unit .. 

 

they call it a 2-in - 1 ....    because of the racket and the stand alone on all night also ...

 

 

Edited July 18 by steven100

[HugoFastor]

I bought one of these once for 340 Baht, exactly 2 years ago. Was useless. Never caught a single flying insect. Recently I binned it. This one is now discontinued, but many others just like it available on Lazada. 
 

Edited July 18 by HugoFastor

[steven100]

2 minutes ago, HugoFastor said:

I bought one of these once for 340 Baht, exactly 2 years ago. Was useless. Never caught a single flying insect. Recently I binned it. This one is now discontinued, but many others just like in on Lazada. 
 

 

that's really weird ... I mean some work really good and others don't .....   and the internet say's mosquito's aren't attracted to UV lights but others say they are and they do work. 

Maybe your 340 baht unit didn't have the same UV color/  and frequency flicker of 395 nm that is most effective.  ??

[HugoFastor]

2 minutes ago, steven100 said:

 

that's really weird ... I mean some work really good and others don't .....   and the internet say's mosquito's aren't attracted to UV lights but others say they are and they do work. 

Maybe your 340 baht unit didn't have the same UV color/  and frequency flicker of 395 nm that is most effective.  ??

You're probably right. I don't know enough about these things though to say one way or another. It just didn't work so eventually I gave up on it. Made for a nice purple night light though. 

[steven100]

10 hours ago, steven100 said:

Thank you Frits ...

 

I've decided to buy this 2-in-1 unit ....   can have on all night with the UV light on ...

 

 

 

and 2 x of these plug in repellants ...

 

 

Ordered the above tennis racket today and the 2 x repellant units will turn up in the morning ...

 

also,  as a bonus I've worked out how to get free shipping instead of paying every time as before ....