Still getting eaten by mosquitoes

[Kenny202]

What do u think about the vitamin B option as a prevention Sheryl? Any side effects or reccomended dose?

I was always the one in Australia who didn't get bitten I figured because I ate so much chilli and garlic. Is it possible to get infection if a mosquito goes and bites one of these pox ridden soi dogs then comes bites me?

[Sheryl]

Soi dogs are not a reservoir for any mosquito borne diseases AFAIK. Pigs are (Japanese B encephalitis) but not dogs. Aside from Japanese B (a risk only in rural areas where pigs are raised, and preventable by vaccine) the big worry is dengue and the reservoir for that is other people.

Some people do find B6 helpful, 10 -25 mg day max. There are anecdotal (unproven) claims for other B vitamins as well so might take a B complex supplement.

Frequent bathing helps a lot in 2 ways: reduces your scent (insects can smell you even when other people can't) and reduces surface body temperature temporarily -- they sense body heat.

[Mobi]

I haven't had a noticeable mosquito bite in many years and I used think I was 'immune' to them for some strange reason.

Then my wife pointed out that the mosquitos were biting me like crazy but they never provoked any skin reaction.

Apparently this is not uncommon for people who have lived here many years.

Since then I can now see that they bite me all day long and when the wife kills a few nearby they are full of my blood.

So even though I have no reaction to mosquito bites, I assume I am still vulnerable to dengue etc. Is this correct?

I did actually get a dose of dengue fever about 8 years ago and had to be hospitalised. Ever since then there have been no signs of a relapse. I am I immune? Or should I be taking something to protect myself?

[partington]

I haven't had a noticeable mosquito bite in many years and I used think I was 'immune' to them for some strange reason.

Then my wife pointed out that the mosquitos were biting me like crazy but they never provoked any skin reaction.

Apparently this is not uncommon for people who have lived here many years.

Since then I can now see that they bite me all day long and when the wife kills a few nearby they are full of my blood.

So even though I have no reaction to mosquito bites, I assume I am still vulnerable to dengue etc. Is this correct?

I did actually get a dose of dengue fever about 8 years ago and had to be hospitalised. Ever since then there have been no signs of a relapse. I am I immune? Or should I be taking something to protect myself?

You are still vulnerable to dengue and malaria: these diseases have nothing to do with whether the mosquito bites cause a large or small reaction.

The diseases are transmitted by the infective agents ( a virus for dengue, a single cell parasite for malaria) being injected into your bloodstream by the mosquito as it feeds. To do this the infective agents have evolved so they are transported to and rest in the insect's salivary glands and mouthparts just in order to maximise the chance that they are injected back into the host that the mosquito is feeding on.

Add: also if you have had one strain of dengue, you develop immunity to that strain, but can still get the strains you haven't had. It's been shown that if you have had dengue once, the chances of it developing into the dangerous hemorrhagic fever are increased if you catch it again, so you should take even greater precautions if you've already had one dose.

Edited August 22, 2015 by partington

[cooked]

I believe that there are three forms of dengue fever. You will be immune to the one that got you years ago but not to the others.

[Gonsalviz]

B Complex worked for me in the swamplands of south Louisiana and Texas. Take one about 1/2 hour before going out.

[steven100]

buy the small personal spray bottle ... 35 baht from 7-11 ... it works ..

[samuijimmy]

I have been using the combination of vitamin B 1 -6 - 12 for several months now, and not been bitten at all, since I started.... I take one tablet each morning...

Price per tab, seems to vary from 3 to 5 baht depending on Pharmacy... (more in a blister pack)... I just get the local pharmacy to count out a month's supply...(3 baht each)

I originally started off with two tabs per day, but one seems to do it for me.... ..... No side effects that I have noticed... Mosquitoes come within 6 inches of me and then buzz off!

When I only used B complex formulas that did not work!

It's worth a try!

[Kenny202]

So u take 3 tabs ...One of each a day?