Mosquito Problem In Central Bangkok At Present

[sysardman]

Mozzies can't be eliminated - they could possibly be controlled.

Use of chemicals is really pretty finite in scope.

THe answer would appear to be in the release of GM modified sterile males. THis causes dramatic reductions in local populations - (80% I hear)

The problem about that is getting the Thais to take it seriously and spend money on it. Our condo sometimes has one of those guys come with the big fogging machines to fumigate the grounds but we're lucky to see him once a year (if that)

THe thing about GM mozzies is that it doesn't involve repeated doses of potent chemicals. It has to be repeated but apparently works quite well in localised, threatened areas.

THe downside is that it is releasing GM animals into the wild - however they are meant to die quickly - and the life span of a mozzie is only days.

The contractors who spray around our village would be a joke if they weren't such a health risk. THeir work is completely ineffective - probably because thy have no idea of what they are supposed to be spraying.

Totally agree with everything you say cowslip, it's just as I said it's getting the Thais to take it seriously. If they implemented a GM program it would be in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket and other tourist venues but the real threat is coming from the villages and countryside.

[cowslip]

Mozzies can't be eliminated - they could possibly be controlled.

Use of chemicals is really pretty finite in scope.

THe answer would appear to be in the release of GM modified sterile males. THis causes dramatic reductions in local populations - (80% I hear)

The problem about that is getting the Thais to take it seriously and spend money on it. Our condo sometimes has one of those guys come with the big fogging machines to fumigate the grounds but we're lucky to see him once a year (if that)

THe thing about GM mozzies is that it doesn't involve repeated doses of potent chemicals. It has to be repeated but apparently works quite well in localised, threatened areas.

THe downside is that it is releasing GM animals into the wild - however they are meant to die quickly - and the life span of a mozzie is only days.

The contractors who spray around our village would be a joke if they weren't such a health risk. THeir work is completely ineffective - probably because thy have no idea of what they are supposed to be spraying.

Totally agree with everything you say cowslip, it's just as I said it's getting the Thais to take it seriously. If they implemented a GM program it would be in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket and other tourist venues but the real threat is coming from the villages and countryside.

Dengue mozzies are essentially URBAN - the nature of the disease, its transmission and the biology of the dengue carrying mozzie means that it thrives in an urban environment with a dense population.

Malaria is a different matter.

[sysardman]

The problem about that is getting the Thais to take it seriously and spend money on it. Our condo sometimes has one of those guys come with the big fogging machines to fumigate the grounds but we're lucky to see him once a year (if that)

THe thing about GM mozzies is that it doesn't involve repeated doses of potent chemicals. It has to be repeated but apparently works quite well in localised, threatened areas.

THe downside is that it is releasing GM animals into the wild - however they are meant to die quickly - and the life span of a mozzie is only days.

The contractors who spray around our village would be a joke if they weren't such a health risk. THeir work is completely ineffective - probably because thy have no idea of what they are supposed to be spraying.

Totally agree with everything you say cowslip, it's just as I said it's getting the Thais to take it seriously. If they implemented a GM program it would be in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket and other tourist venues but the real threat is coming from the villages and countryside.

Dengue mozzies are essentially URBAN - the nature of the disease, its transmission and the biology of the dengue carrying mozzie means that it thrives in an urban environment with a dense population.

Malaria is a different matter.

So are you saying we get a choice to which mozzie bites us? I also dispute your facts too, I'm hearing about villagers contracting dengue. Or did you mean it only bites dense people

Edited September 5, 2012 by sysardman

[cowslip]

sysardman

what do you mean - "choice"?

Firstly - It is not exclusive to any particular area, secondly there is a misconception that the risk is higher in rural or jungle areas

Only the females bite and the nature of transmission means that it works in populations where people are close to each other.

Dengue is endemic to Thailand - so you can get it just about anywhere, but just because you have seen people in rural locations catch it does not mean that is where the risk is highest.

The disease in usually transmitted by a mosquito that first bites and infected person and then another.

As the females only bite once or twice a day and their flying range and lifespan are quite limited it helps if people are close together. THey also require very little water in which to breed, this again is readily available in urban areas.

Edited September 7, 2012 by cowslip

[theslime]

Much as I do sometimes like DEET myself, I'll try to restrict it to clothing rather than skin.

Doubtful? try spraying a bit on anything plastic, or varnished, and see how it melts that stuff. Then think about putting it on your own skin.

They sell DEET in plastic bottles, I don't see it eating it's way out of them

Who started these rumours about DEET?, please Google 'DEET safety' to see what the experts say (or at least read my previous post). It's these 'Natural' products that are the suspicious ones.

There are of course diferent typse of plastic

Well noted but the poster doesn't specify any particular type. I've been using DEET based products for over 7 years and never been burned, had a skin rash, epileptic fit, vomiting, convulsions, heart failure, brain tumour, seizure, heart palpitations etc, etc, etc, But it's your choice and if you want to ignore the experts then go forth and feed the multitudes. By the way plain old water can be used to dissolve a multitude of things so your argument doesn't errr 'hold water'. What do you think is issued to armies, aid workers, scientists etc working in the tropics - it aint lemon juice and by the way if you distill juice from citrus fruit to 100% concentration you have a pretty mean acid. We are talking about common sense and moderation in this thread not some smarty pants hearsay.

Obviously you have you not seen what it does to some plastics. My Flashlight in my Rucksack started to dissolve, when the Mossie repellent leaked on it. So if you want that on ya, go for it. By the way they used to say DDT was okay. same Smokes,Asbestos,Thalidomide,

[sysardman]

sysardman

what do you mean - "choice"?

Firstly - It is not exclusive to any particular area, secondly there is a misconception that the risk is higher in rural or jungle areas

Only the females bite and the nature of transmission means that it works in populations where people are close to each other.

Dengue is endemic to Thailand - so you can get it just about anywhere, but just because you have seen people in rural locations catch it does not mean that is where the risk is highest.

The disease in usually transmitted by a mosquito that first bites and infected person and then another.

As the females only bite once or twice a day and their flying range and lifespan are quite limited it helps if people are close together. THey also require very little water in which to breed, this again is readily available in urban areas.

The 'choice' was a bit fo a joke but fell on deaf ears, as for the reference to countrside you find people are less concerned about mosquito management compared to city areas. The further out you get you see houses with pools of water standing around, wooden houses with no mosquito nettings on windows(no glass most times). You also find many families sharing the same house and therefore a lot of people in close proximity. They also do not get much in the way of education about mosquito risks and only basic medical facilities. I hope that clarifies what I was meaning. I only have to walk a 100 yards from my home and there is a house exactly as described - two families in one house, wood shutters on windows, no glass, around 10 people approx and most of the village is like that. Plenty of standing water after recent rains.

As for @theslime please read ALL the posts, DEET has been tested by every reputable agency around the world and has been declared safe if used as directed. I am not forcing you or anybody to use, it personal choice, I don't get commission for selling it, I just prefer it to other options.

[sysardman]

They sell DEET in plastic bottles, I don't see it eating it's way out of them

Who started these rumours about DEET?, please Google 'DEET safety' to see what the experts say (or at least read my previous post). It's these 'Natural' products that are the suspicious ones.

There are of course diferent typse of plastic

Well noted but the poster doesn't specify any particular type. I've been using DEET based products for over 7 years and never been burned, had a skin rash, epileptic fit, vomiting, convulsions, heart failure, brain tumour, seizure, heart palpitations etc, etc, etc, But it's your choice and if you want to ignore the experts then go forth and feed the multitudes. By the way plain old water can be used to dissolve a multitude of things so your argument doesn't errr 'hold water'. What do you think is issued to armies, aid workers, scientists etc working in the tropics - it aint lemon juice and by the way if you distill juice from citrus fruit to 100% concentration you have a pretty mean acid. We are talking about common sense and moderation in this thread not some smarty pants hearsay.

Obviously you have you not seen what it does to some plastics. My Flashlight in my Rucksack started to dissolve, when the Mossie repellent leaked on it. So if you want that on ya, go for it. By the way they used to say DDT was okay. same Smokes,Asbestos,Thalidomide,

This is my last post on this issue because like I say I am not getting paid to flog DEET (or dead horses). If I can use a comparison, many people paint their houses and when they spill paint on themselves they are quite happy to soak a rag in turpentine, a highly toxic, volatile solvent and wipe the paint from their skin and I I don't hear complaints about their skin being seared off or convulsive fits. Many varieties of chemicals are used everyday and they're in the same category, toxic, volatile, solvents etc but used with common sense and within manufacturers guidelines should be perfectly safe.

[cowslip]

.....Is one of the posters claiming to be made of plastic?

or don't they realise that interactions between substances are not uniform?