Nearly 49,000 infected with dengue in Thailand, 59 dead

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1. We use ARS odourless mosquito spray that we got from Makro, we only use it sparingly, spray the bedrooms about an hour before we go to bed if we find that a mozzie or two has followed us in through the front door snd is elusive.

2. It is probably best to tip any standing water out that is in or outdoors. Where the water cannot be tipped out, such as the flush basin for the toilet, I got some Sonic 1 SG to kill any wrigglers.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sorry, but you're kind of missing my points on both counts..

1. Re the ARS spray you're using, just because it's "odourless" doesn't mean it doesn't have bad (killer) stuff in it that you wouldn't necessarily want getting onto/into your food, dishes, clothes, etc. I was looking for a kind of spray, or how to spray, in a way that minimizes household contamination issues.

2. I (and pretty much everyone) know that mozzies breed in standing water. But the point of my question was, just like the discussion above about putting diesel fuel or kerosine on the top of water tank levels, would adding something like bleach to some standing water inside the house serve as something to attract and kill mozzies?

[Thai at Heart]

1. We use ARS odourless mosquito spray that we got from Makro, we only use it sparingly, spray the bedrooms about an hour before we go to bed if we find that a mozzie or two has followed us in through the front door snd is elusive.

2. It is probably best to tip any standing water out that is in or outdoors. Where the water cannot be tipped out, such as the flush basin for the toilet, I got some Sonic 1 SG to kill any wrigglers.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sorry, but you're kind of missing my points on both counts..

1. Re the ARS spray you're using, just because it's "odourless" doesn't mean it doesn't have bad (killer) stuff in it that you wouldn't necessarily want getting onto/into your food, dishes, clothes, etc. I was looking for a kind of spray, or how to spray, in a way that minimizes household contamination issues.

2. I (and pretty much everyone) know that mozzies breed in standing water. But the point of my question was, just like the discussion above about putting diesel fuel or kerosine on the top of water tank levels, would adding something like bleach to some standing water inside the house serve as something to attract and kill mozzies?

You can buy natural pyrethrum sprays in tesco.

This is the safest of the lot, but more expensive and doesn't last quite so long indoors. Nearly all of the other types are synthetic pemethrins of different types and strengths.

Not harmful for daily use.

I have to say, I took our mozzie nets off downstairs and this let's the buggars get out. We used to play mozzie tennis with the Zappers on the nets at night.

Counterintuitive to all the advice, but it has worked.

[TomTao]

1. We use ARS odourless mosquito spray that we got from Makro, we only use it sparingly, spray the bedrooms about an hour before we go to bed if we find that a mozzie or two has followed us in through the front door snd is elusive.

2. It is probably best to tip any standing water out that is in or outdoors. Where the water cannot be tipped out, such as the flush basin for the toilet, I got some Sonic 1 SG to kill any wrigglers.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sorry, but you're kind of missing my points on both counts..

1. Re the ARS spray you're using, just because it's "odourless" doesn't mean it doesn't have bad (killer) stuff in it that you wouldn't necessarily want getting onto/into your food, dishes, clothes, etc. I was looking for a kind of spray, or how to spray, in a way that minimizes household contamination issues.

2. I (and pretty much everyone) know that mozzies breed in standing water. But the point of my question was, just like the discussion above about putting diesel fuel or kerosine on the top of water tank levels, would adding something like bleach to some standing water inside the house serve as something to attract and kill mozzies?

One of the only chemicle free alteratives that comes to mind would be something like a lemongrass extract, that won't kill them but it may chase them out of thier hiding place so you could zap them.

With regards to what to put into standing water inside the house, if it not is the base of a potplant, you may try dissolving some salt in the water, or something we had for a while which we bought from Homemart some time ago, I don't remember what its called, but it has an ultraviolet light on top with a small fan below above a small chamber that has a oneway flap that is only open when the fan is on, the ultraviolet light draws the mozzies which are then sucked into the chamber below where they die.

[seajae]

what did they spray it with?

come on, water of course, chemicals cost money and remove all the profit,

[Thai at Heart]

1. We use ARS odourless mosquito spray that we got from Makro, we only use it sparingly, spray the bedrooms about an hour before we go to bed if we find that a mozzie or two has followed us in through the front door snd is elusive.

2. It is probably best to tip any standing water out that is in or outdoors. Where the water cannot be tipped out, such as the flush basin for the toilet, I got some Sonic 1 SG to kill any wrigglers.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sorry, but you're kind of missing my points on both counts..

1. Re the ARS spray you're using, just because it's "odourless" doesn't mean it doesn't have bad (killer) stuff in it that you wouldn't necessarily want getting onto/into your food, dishes, clothes, etc. I was looking for a kind of spray, or how to spray, in a way that minimizes household contamination issues.

2. I (and pretty much everyone) know that mozzies breed in standing water. But the point of my question was, just like the discussion above about putting diesel fuel or kerosine on the top of water tank levels, would adding something like bleach to some standing water inside the house serve as something to attract and kill mozzies?

One of the only chemicle free alteratives that comes to mind would be something like a lemongrass extract, that won't kill them but it may chase them out of thier hiding place so you could zap them.

With regards to what to put into standing water inside the house, if it not is the base of a potplant, you may try dissolving some salt in the water, or something we had for a while which we bought from Homemart some time ago, I don't remember what its called, but it has an ultraviolet light on top with a small fan below above a small chamber that has a oneway flap that is only open when the fan is on, the ultraviolet light draws the mozzies which are then sucked into the chamber below where they die.

Natural pyrethrum is derived from chrysanthemum flowers and has been around since Egyptian times.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

You can buy natural pyrethrum sprays in tesco.

This is the safest of the lot, but more expensive and doesn't last quite so long indoors. Nearly all of the other types are synthetic pemethrins of different types and strengths.

Not harmful for daily use.

From some quick reading, it doesn't appear that natural pyrethrum - pyrethrin is such a great thing, health-safety wise, to be spraying around inside one's home.

Like DEET, permethrin is a neurotoxin that can affect the nervous system. You may want to weigh using either chemical against the risk of disease-carrying insects.

http://www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/safer-bug-spray?page=2

Side Effects

Pyrethroids:

Inhalation: coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, runny or stuffy nose, chest pain, or difficulty breathing.

Skin contact: rash, itching, or blisters.

Long term effects: disrupts the endocrine system by mimicking the female hormone, estrogen, thus causing excessive estrogen levels in females. In human males, its estrogenizing (feminizing) effects include lowered sperm counts. In both, it can lead to the abnormal growth of breast tissue, leading to development of breasts in males and cancerous breast tissue in both male and females.

Neurotoxic effects include: tremors, incoordination, elevated body temperature, increased aggressive behavior, and disruption of learning. Laboratory tests suggest that permethrin is more acutely toxic to children than to adults.

Other: A known carcinogen. There is evidence that pyrethroids harm the thyroid gland. Causes chromosomal damage in hamsters and mice; deformities in amphibians; blood abnormalities in birds.

http://www.toxicsinfo.org/pests/Pyrethroids.htm

Also, there was some interesting scientific comment on the natural/unrefined versions of this (pyrethrum) vs the refined/synthetic versions. Basically, from what I was reading quickly, the natural version contains more non-insectical components likely to aggravate allergy/respiratory problems, whereas the refined/synthetic versiosn supposedly have those components stripped out and have other components added to make the insectical function longer lasting and more effective.

But as usual in such things, there are a variety of varying and conflicting opinions on the science of all this.

Edited June 24, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[masuk]

Pyrethrum powder, dissolved in a bucket of water, will treat a number of mosquito nets. Enough for a family.

Soak them, then hang in the shade to dry.

The mosquitoes are attracted to you during the night, and land on the net. That's enough to kill it.

I've used these in malarial areas in Papau New Guinea, and they're very effective. I avoided 99% of malarial mosquitoes over three years.

I won't tell you about the one which did get me while I was out in a remote village - the following weeks were like being run over by a truck!

Pyrethrum is safe. Malaria is not!

[Billy The Kid]

How to avoid Dengue fever ? I got injections in 2004 to protects from three different things, Malaria for one, Doctor told me that lasts for 10 years, Is he right ? Do i need the same injections to protect from Dengue Fever ? Thanks in advance.

[Thai at Heart]

You can buy natural pyrethrum sprays in tesco.

This is the safest of the lot, but more expensive and doesn't last quite so long indoors. Nearly all of the other types are synthetic pemethrins of different types and strengths.

Not harmful for daily use.

From some quick reading, it doesn't appear that natural pyrethrum - pyrethrin is such a great thing, health-safety wise, to be spraying around inside one's home.

Like DEET, permethrin is a neurotoxin that can affect the nervous system. You may want to weigh using either chemical against the risk of disease-carrying insects.

http://www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/safer-bug-spray?page=2

Side Effects

Pyrethroids:

Inhalation: coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, runny or stuffy nose, chest pain, or difficulty breathing.

Skin contact: rash, itching, or blisters.

Long term effects: disrupts the endocrine system by mimicking the female hormone, estrogen, thus causing excessive estrogen levels in females. In human males, its estrogenizing (feminizing) effects include lowered sperm counts. In both, it can lead to the abnormal growth of breast tissue, leading to development of breasts in males and cancerous breast tissue in both male and females.

Neurotoxic effects include: tremors, incoordination, elevated body temperature, increased aggressive behavior, and disruption of learning. Laboratory tests suggest that permethrin is more acutely toxic to children than to adults.

Other: A known carcinogen. There is evidence that pyrethroids harm the thyroid gland. Causes chromosomal damage in hamsters and mice; deformities in amphibians; blood abnormalities in birds.

http://www.toxicsinfo.org/pests/Pyrethroids.htm

Also, there was some interesting scientific comment on the natural/unrefined versions of this (pyrethrum) vs the refined/synthetic versions. Basically, from what I was reading quickly, the natural version contains more non-insectical components likely to aggravate allergy/respiratory problems, whereas the refined/synthetic versiosn supposedly have those components stripped out and have other components added to make the insectical function longer lasting and more effective.

But as usual in such things, there are a variety of varying and conflicting opinions on the science of all this.

The LD 50 for natural pyrethrum is so low, I would almost drink it.

It kills mozzies, but harms virtually nothing else since it degrades very quickly in sunlight. It is perfect for spraying at dawn and dusk when mozzies are around. I would love it off mozzies could be killed with evian, but it doesn't work. The fda approves it for spraying in food factories.

If you prefer somchai with cypermethrin, up to you.

Also, it has a repellant effect which discourages beneficial bugs like bees and butterflies from getting killed because they move away, and in time will drive mozzie populations from your garden as well as killing them.

Alternatively DDT is amazing at killing mozzies, and if you were to spray the inside of your house only, would be the greatest pesticide.

Edited June 24, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I think different people are talking about different things here....and they're not all the same.

As regards pyrethrum, there are different kinds of uses:

--applying to clothes or other fabrics

--applying outdoors in a garden or patio setting, which is open air

--applying via spray indoors, where there are issues of inhalation.

You can't talk about potential side effects of a substance by lumping all those uses together.

I'm not saying, certainly, it's worse than other chemicals. But it's still a chemical, and if you read the scientific studies, there are potential health issues depending on how it's used and the degree and method of exposure, and who's being exposed.

This is from the U.S. EPA on the difference between raw pyrethrum and refined pyrethrins:

Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids

• Crude pyrethrum, made from the chrysanthemum flower, has insecticidal properties and is a known allergen. No pyrethrum end-use products are currently registered with the Agency.

• Refined pyrethrum is called pyrethrins. Synthetic pyrethroids were developed to mimic the structure of pyrethrins and to increase photostability and enhance insecticidal activity.

• Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are not expected to elicit allergic-type reactions due to the reported removal of the allergic component in pyrethrum.

That's why I was questioning above the use/sale here of "natural pyrethrum" sprays, depending on what exactly is being offered.

The US EPA seems to be OK with the use of pyrethrins... But not everyone else is...

As the U.S. EPA website notes:

This most recent review was prompted by a journal article titled ‘Safe’ Pesticides Now First in Poisonings, published by the Center for Public Integrity. The article focuses on human incidents and exposure to pyrethroid and pyrethrins pesticide products. It raises issues related to increases in numbers of incidents related to pyrethrins and pyrethroids, as well the safety of these products for individuals with asthma or allergies.

http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reevaluation/paw-factsheet.html

Edited June 24, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[NanLaew]

How to avoid Dengue fever ? I got injections in 2004 to protects from three different things, Malaria for one, Doctor told me that lasts for 10 years, Is he right ? Do i need the same injections to protect from Dengue Fever ? Thanks in advance.

There is no dengue prophylaxis.

Also, there is no intravenous malarial prophylaxis either.

Now a Yellow Fever shot is usually good for a decade.

[wongoman]

Perhaps an Aussie could tell me if it is true and works, but don't they use Mozzie traps that use various attractants to kill them in OZ, I read about a network of devices eradicating 95% + of mossies over a few acres or so. I also read somewhere about communities with a problem surrounding their areas. Is that something could happen here, say on gated communities?

[wolf5370]

1. We use ARS odourless mosquito spray that we got from Makro, we only use it sparingly, spray the bedrooms about an hour before we go to bed if we find that a mozzie or two has followed us in through the front door snd is elusive.

2. It is probably best to tip any standing water out that is in or outdoors. Where the water cannot be tipped out, such as the flush basin for the toilet, I got some Sonic 1 SG to kill any wrigglers.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sorry, but you're kind of missing my points on both counts..

1. Re the ARS spray you're using, just because it's "odourless" doesn't mean it doesn't have bad (killer) stuff in it that you wouldn't necessarily want getting onto/into your food, dishes, clothes, etc. I was looking for a kind of spray, or how to spray, in a way that minimizes household contamination issues.

2. I (and pretty much everyone) know that mozzies breed in standing water. But the point of my question was, just like the discussion above about putting diesel fuel or kerosine on the top of water tank levels, would adding something like bleach to some standing water inside the house serve as something to attract and kill mozzies?

One of the only chemicle free alteratives that comes to mind would be something like a lemongrass extract, that won't kill them but it may chase them out of thier hiding place so you could zap them.

With regards to what to put into standing water inside the house, if it not is the base of a potplant, you may try dissolving some salt in the water, or something we had for a while which we bought from Homemart some time ago, I don't remember what its called, but it has an ultraviolet light on top with a small fan below above a small chamber that has a oneway flap that is only open when the fan is on, the ultraviolet light draws the mozzies which are then sucked into the chamber below where they die.

Yeah saw that trap in BigC the other day (also has an auto trap door shut when the fan is off - stop the buggers escaping again - think the fan down draft keeps it open).

For outside (patio), spray bottle with 50/50 water and Listerine classic (normal green - not the flavoured kind) . Spray it around your seat on the ground, they don't like the smell (much cheaper than lemon grass/citrine chemicals) - needs to be resprayed from time to time as it dries and the smell diminishes.

More money is needed to be spent on vaccines rather than eradication of the host - the latter is an almost impossible Sisyphusian task. Malaria kills more people world wide each year is around 1.2 million (with almost 400m cases) - pretty much on Diarrhoea kills more. Dengue fever has cases between 50m and 100m per year (not as well documented as malaria) - An estimated 500 000 people with severe dengue require hospitalization each year, a large proportion of whom are children. About 2.5% of those affected die.[http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs117/en/].

Link also provides current vaccine status (none currently available - but some in the works) and good advice on prevention and control.

Also, I find smoke coils are the best. I get the dog friendly ones (no dog, but used natural scent and more friendly insecticide).

Edited June 25, 2013 by wolf5370

[Bobsufc]

Dengue mosquitoes are daytime mosquitoe. It breeds in small amount of still water.

They are very quick and difficult to smack and kill when biting. So it could bite a whole family or many members of one group.

They have whie spots down each side.

They are ideally suited to the urban environment.

Given the amount of rain and the amount of empty containers and puddles around its not surprising that dengue is on the rise.

I have had dengue fever type A in French Polynesia Tahiti. Even though I was lightly affected according to the doctors I was laid up for more than a month.

The fever goes in cycles you have periods of feeling almost well and then relapse into agonizing headaches and body pain.

The reason the death rate is low to the number of infections is simple. Dengue comes in 4 types A B C and D Having 1 is usually not fatal but getting 2 is very serious especially if one of those is C or D.

uncontrolled haemorraging can sometimes occur can effect Eyes Nose Mouth ears anus penis and vagina probably.

Not a pretty way to go.

So you would have to be bitten twice by mosquitoes carrying different types of Dengue. This is why great care is taken with dengue patients under treatmentto prevent them being bitten again.

This can happen as the mosquitoes live for about a month and are infectious the whole time.

For a detailed description follow this link

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/215840-overview

Edited June 25, 2013 by Bobsufc

[johnnycthedog]

Not so sure about diesel fuel on the surface preventing the eggs to float but I use kero or diesel occasionally and when the rainwater tank overflows, its gone.

Far safer than the Estrogen mimmiking pesticides, for still water application that is.

Have you watched lavae try to surface for air when theres diesel or kero micro film just been added to the surface?

They stop wriggling and die.

Latest ABC News. A far north Queensland trial aimed at tackling the spread of dengue fever will be extended next month.

Researchers have been working in Cairns, releasing mosquitoes infected with the wolbachia bacteria, which blocks dengue transmission.

That's right. I saw the ABC program last week. Dengue fever is rapidly on the increase in the tropical parts of northern Australia. The mosquitoes infected with the bacteria eventually will overtake the population of mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus. If it works successfully you'd imagine that the project will be "exported" to countries such as Thailand. However that will be a few years away from being implemented - perhaps 5 to 10 years.

[masuk]

Not so sure about diesel fuel on the surface preventing the eggs to float but I use kero or diesel occasionally and when the rainwater tank overflows, its gone.

Far safer than the Estrogen mimmiking pesticides, for still water application that is.

Have you watched lavae try to surface for air when theres diesel or kero micro film just been added to the surface?

They stop wriggling and die.

Latest ABC News. A far north Queensland trial aimed at tackling the spread of dengue fever will be extended next month.

Researchers have been working in Cairns, releasing mosquitoes infected with the wolbachia bacteria, which blocks dengue transmission.

That's right. I saw the ABC program last week. Dengue fever is rapidly on the increase in the tropical parts of northern Australia. The mosquitoes infected with the bacteria eventually will overtake the population of mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus. If it works successfully you'd imagine that the project will be "exported" to countries such as Thailand. However that will be a few years away from being implemented - perhaps 5 to 10 years.

Dengue in northern (Tropical) Queensland has outbreaks every year, and most often in communities which are low-income. These places tend to have a lot of junk lying around and ideal places to hold water for mosquito breeding.

As the Dengue mosquito doesn't travel too far from its home puddle, once people come down with Dengue, the area around the 'victim' is sprayed and the matter often cleared up promptly.

[FWIW]

The reason the death rate is low to the number of infections is simple. Dengue comes in 4 types A B C and D Having 1 is usually not fatal but getting 2 is very serious especially if one of those is C or D.

uncontrolled haemorraging can sometimes occur can effect Eyes Nose Mouth ears anus penis and vagina probably.

Not a pretty way to go.

So you would have to be bitten twice by mosquitoes carrying different types of Dengue. This is why great care is taken with dengue patients under treatmentto prevent them being bitten again.

Most of this is simply wrong I am afraid. There are four different dengue viruses (some times called "serotypes") they are called dengue virus 1, dengue virus 2, dengue virus 3 and dengue virus 4.

If you get infected with one virus you get life long immunity against that virus, but only limited and transient protection against other dengue viruses. The problem is that after recovering, the antibodies that protect you against the virus that infected you can, in some cases, actually help the next (different) virus to infect you - resulting in a disease of greater severity. The thinking that particular dengue viruses are worse if got second is now outdated.

However, its probably worth remembering that the majority of infections are actually asymptomatic.

The reason care is taken so that dengue patients do not get bitten is to prevent them transmissting the disease.....

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

However, its probably worth remembering that the majority of infections are actually asymptomatic.

The reason care is taken so that dengue patients do not get bitten is to prevent them transmissting the disease.....

Couple questions:

1. Any idea on the percentage of infections from dengue that are asymptomatic..on average?

2. Can you explain what you mean in your final comment about preventing transmission?

If a regular (non Dengue) mosquito draws blood from a Dengue infected patient and then goes on and bites someone else later, can that transmit the disease?

[FWIW]

However, its probably worth remembering that the majority of infections are actually asymptomatic.

The reason care is taken so that dengue patients do not get bitten is to prevent them transmissting the disease.....

Couple questions:

1. Any idea on the percentage of infections from dengue that are asymptomatic..on average?

2. Can you explain what you mean in your final comment about preventing transmission?

If a regular (non Dengue) mosquito draws blood from a Dengue infected patient and then goes on and bites someone else later, can that transmit the disease?

1. The latest study suggests that world wide there are some 390 million infections per year (this is much higher than previously thought) and that, of those some 96 million show (any) symproms. So Asymptomatic cases outweight sympromatic cases some 3:1 (ish...).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23563266

2. Yes. That is exactly how the disease is transmitted. A "clean" mosquito bites an infected person (a viraemic person) and then a few days later passes the disease to uninfected individuals.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Yikes... All the talk earlier here was about the particular variety of Dengue carrying mosquitoes, what it looks like, when it's active, how it breeds, etc etc....

But now you're saying...any mosquito can transmit the disease, if it's bitten an infected person.... if I'm understanding this right.

[FWIW]

Yikes... All the talk earlier here was about the particular variety of Dengue carrying mosquitoes, what it looks like, when it's active, how it breeds, etc etc....

But now you're saying...any mosquito can transmit the disease, if it's bitten an infected person.... if I'm understanding this right.

No sorry, my bad - any mosquito - of a particular species (in this case Aedes) - my apologies for not being clear.

[thaibeachlovers]

It is common knowledge, even in Third World countries, that mosquitoes will only spawn in still clear, clean water.

49,000 infected and only now the Public Health Minister issues this statement?

It appears that not only justice and police move slowly in Thailand..

Are you sure about that? I keep my surrounds clear of standing water, but we have a plague of mosquitoes which breed in the swamp and the drains.

The minister must be deluded if he thinks the local authorities are going to spend money eliminating mossies. We have the foggers coming around once a year here, which is pointless, and the drains are never cleaned.

[wilcopops]

It is common knowledge, even in Third World countries, that mosquitoes will only spawn in still clear, clean water.

49,000 infected and only now the Public Health Minister issues this statement?

It appears that not only justice and police move slowly in Thailand..

Are you sure about that? I keep my surrounds clear of standing water, but we have a plague of mosquitoes which breed in the swamp and the drains.

The minister must be deluded if he thinks the local authorities are going to spend money eliminating mossies. We have the foggers coming around once a year here, which is pointless, and the drains are never cleaned.

It is common knowledge, even in Third World countries, that mosquitoes will only spawn in still clear, clean water.

49,000 infected and only now the Public Health Minister issues this statement?

It appears that not only justice and police move slowly in Thailand..

Are you sure about that? I keep my surrounds clear of standing water, but we have a plague of mosquitoes which breed in the swamp and the drains.

The minister must be deluded if he thinks the local authorities are going to spend money eliminating mossies. We have the foggers coming around once a year here, which is pointless, and the drains are never cleaned.

Dengue carrying mosquitoes will breed in the tiniest amount of water - up turned pots, old tires etc.......presumably the larvae will need nutrients in the water to grow

[wilcopops]

Dengue mosquitoes are daytime mosquitoe. It breeds in small amount of still water.

They are very quick and difficult to smack and kill when biting. So it could bite a whole family or many members of one group.

They have whie spots down each side.

They are ideally suited to the urban environment.

Given the amount of rain and the amount of empty containers and puddles around its not surprising that dengue is on the rise.

I have had dengue fever type A in French Polynesia Tahiti. Even though I was lightly affected according to the doctors I was laid up for more than a month.

The fever goes in cycles you have periods of feeling almost well and then relapse into agonizing headaches and body pain.

The reason the death rate is low to the number of infections is simple. Dengue comes in 4 types A B C and D Having 1 is usually not fatal but getting 2 is very serious especially if one of those is C or D.

uncontrolled haemorraging can sometimes occur can effect Eyes Nose Mouth ears anus penis and vagina probably.

Not a pretty way to go.

So you would have to be bitten twice by mosquitoes carrying different types of Dengue. This is why great care is taken with dengue patients under treatmentto prevent them being bitten again.

This can happen as the mosquitoes live for about a month and are infectious the whole time.

For a detailed description follow this link

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/215840-overview

lot of misinformation here - dealt with mostly already

BUT

"So it could bite a whole family or many members of one group." - only the female mozzie needs to bite humans for their blood.

The female is unlikely to feed more than twice a day. If you think about the size of this animal you can also get soe idea of the minute amounts ingested and therefore required to spread the disease.

Edited June 28, 2013 by wilcopops

[dmrichkt]

On Day 5 now of my second time infection. Strain as yet unknown. Had a meeting with local government officials who visited my home due to the high number of deaths in this area. Any mosquito can transmit the dengue virus but only the Aedes carry it. For example, I am bitten now by an non-aedes which then bites another person. That person can be infected. Den 2 is severe and has a high mortality rate. I admit I was very worried but I seem to have been fortunate as the last time I had it I suffered for a month. On Thursday, I couldn't walk but now I'm eating and posting on TV. Lots(and I mean lots) of liquids, sleep,sleep,sleep and do take the paracetemol they reduce the back-breaking pain so you can sleep.

[wilcopops]

On Day 5 now of my second time infection. Strain as yet unknown. Had a meeting with local government officials who visited my home due to the high number of deaths in this area. Any mosquito can transmit the dengue virus but only the Aedes carry it. For example, I am bitten now by an non-aedes which then bites another person. That person can be infected. Den 2 is severe and has a high mortality rate. I admit I was very worried but I seem to have been fortunate as the last time I had it I suffered for a month. On Thursday, I couldn't walk but now I'm eating and posting on TV. Lots(and I mean lots) of liquids, sleep,sleep,sleep and do take the paracetemol they reduce the back-breaking pain so you can sleep.

"Any mosquito can transmit the dengue virus but only the Aedes carry it" - I think you need to explain that . The Aedes is the vector species for dengue.

As far as I'm aware once ingested by the mosquito (from a human donor) the virus has to develop in the salivary glands of the mosquito BEFORE it can be transmitted and it cannot do this in other species....so how can your statement be true?

i don't think there is any evidence to suggest that one strain of dengue is any more virulent than the other.....it IS suspected that subsequent infections - that can only be from other strains - are more likely to be more severe.

another thing that really concerns me is whether or not the fever is being correctly identified by Thai doctors - again I believe the only way to confirm that it is Dengue is to have blood tests and several people on TV don't seem to have had one.

the tests will amongst other things show the existence of anti-bodies.

Edited June 29, 2013 by wilcopops

[FWIW]

On Day 5 now of my second time infection. Strain as yet unknown. Had a meeting with local government officials who visited my home due to the high number of deaths in this area. Any mosquito can transmit the dengue virus but only the Aedes carry it. For example, I am bitten now by an non-aedes which then bites another person. That person can be infected. Den 2 is severe and has a high mortality rate. I admit I was very worried but I seem to have been fortunate as the last time I had it I suffered for a month. On Thursday, I couldn't walk but now I'm eating and posting on TV. Lots(and I mean lots) of liquids, sleep,sleep,sleep and do take the paracetemol they reduce the back-breaking pain so you can sleep.

"Any mosquito can transmit the dengue virus but only the Aedes carry it" - I think you need to explain that . The Aedes is the vector species for dengue.

As far as I'm aware once ingested by the mosquito (from a human donor) the virus has to develop in the salivary glands of the mosquito BEFORE it can be transmitted and it cannot do this in other species....so how can your statement be true?

i don't think there is any evidence to suggest that one strain of dengue is any more virulent than the other.....it IS suspected that subsequent infections - that can only be from other strains - are more likely to be more severe.

another thing that really concerns me is whether or not the fever is being correctly identified by Thai doctors - again I believe the only way to confirm that it is Dengue is to have blood tests and several people on TV don't seem to have had one.

the tests will amongst other things show the existence of anti-bodies.

Yes, the mosquito gets infected itself. The virus present in the blood meal enters the midgut cells of the mosquito, and eventually infects the salivary glands - only then is the virus transmissible. And its only Aedes mosquitoes. Other mosquito species do not get infected by the virus from a blood meal and so cannot transmit the disease.