Dengue mosquitoes

How do you identify a dengue mosquito?

dengue mosquitoes usually have white strips on their bodies. They usually look like any other mosquito, so it will be difficult for the layperson to identify one under the naked eye. You will need a microscope or a magnifying glass to get a closer view of it and confirm if it is a Dengue mosquito. You can also identify it by its behaviour, look out for these signs: 

• It likes to live indoors and bite people indoors
• Its hard to catch; moves quickly, darting back and forth
• It likes to hide under furniture and bite people on the feet or ankles
• Its bite is usually relatively painless, so people may not notice they are being bitten or may think they are bitten by sandflies/biting midges.

The adult mosquito prefers to hide under dark areas such as under your bed, sofa, and even in your closet. The dengue mosquito prefers to bite humans during daylight. It is very cautious when biting, flying away at the slightest disturbance.

How to prevent it from breeding in your home?

There is no vaccine for preventing dengue form breeding in your homes, therefore the best way is to practice the following preventive measure:

• Items that collect rain water or store stagnant water is to be properly covered or discarded
• get rid of areas dengue mosquitoes breed such as flower pots, tins, bottles, or discarded tires. Mosquitoes breeding in any source of standing water
• Always clean and check drains to ensure they are not blocked especially during the rainy season
• Top up uneven surfaces on the floor to prevent water from accumulating.

What is the treatment?

There is no specific treatment for Dengue fever, you may want to consult your doctor if you have symptoms suggestive of dengue, especially when you have been in an area where dengue is known to occur. Rest and fluid intake is important to help heal the illness

What are the signs and symptoms?

After being bitten by the mosquito, symptoms will only start to show 3 to 15 days after. The signs and symptoms may vary depending on the form  of disease. Dengue fever signs and symptoms typically include high fever, severe headache, chills, red eyes and pain behind the eyes, severe muscle and joint pain, nausea and vomiting, backache and rash. Most people with Dengue fever recover within 2 weeks, however, some may go through weeks of feeling tired or depression.