Dengue fever?

[neilstewart]

I contracted Dengue in the Seychelles in '85. In bed for 4 days solid just drinking lots of water, very hot temp. mixed with extreme shivers, they seem to change between the two almost instantaneously. It takes 10/14 days afterwards to start feeling strong again. I'm not sure if this is because you absolutely cannot do anything including eating whilst your running the fever and therefore you are very weak afterwards.

I think i was told that it could re-occur, although it hasn't. However it would be a useful excuse for throwing a sickie.

"sorry boss can't come in today, my Dengue's playing me up"

Neil

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi terrydarc,

This site, albeit a bit long winded, gives you what you need for using permethrin--> http://www.permethrin-repellent.com/permethrin1.htm. It's really pretty simple & effective.

As regards DEET, you raise an important point. Obviously, I wasn't sufficiently clear. By "full strength" I did not mean to imply pure DEET, but rather the max concentrations commonly available, which range from 30%-35%. While the US Army recommends use of a 100% concentration on the skin in certain circumstances, as you said this can be very hard on the skin, not to mention quite toxic. Generally, 100% solutions are only for use on clothing & gear.

Once you get above about 20%-30%, increasing concentrations do not seem to provide extra protective potency--they just repel longer. After about 50%, even this benefit largely disappears.

Of course you should carefully read all instructions for the use of either permethrin or DEET. It is important that you not inadvertently ingest these, got them into open sores or cuts, and the like. Their use with children involves special considerations & care.

Thanks for bring up an excellent topic.

DocVikingo

 

[scubadoc]

Not much to add to this great discussion! However, here is some information about Permanone (Permethrin) that was sent me by my correspondent, Jose Kirchner, and published on our web page about insect bites at http://www.scuba-doc.com/insects.htm

"A very useful insect repellent product is permethrin (one common brand name is Permanone). Usually sold as a spray, permanone was created for the U. S. Army; it is not DEET or citronella or the like. It is sprayed on clothing, insect nets and the like (NOT applied topically). Permanone is generally found in outdoor sports and fishing/hunting stores and catalogues.

The clothing or nets so sprayed repel insects quite well, and the substance persists enough it will actually survive a couple of washings! I have personally used permethrin on socks and trouser cuffs, shirt sleeves and collars, and insect nets (head nets and bed nets) in such places as the Canadian Arctic tundra (black flies and mosquitos are a terrible nuisance there!), the African veldt and other areas, to repel everything from black and tsetse flies to ticks and chiggers.

I often recommend people heading for insect-ridden areas use permanone on some of their clothing, and protect themselves with DEET 15 - 20% (higher percentages are no more effective, but they can be bad for children, plastics and synthetic materials used in clothing) on areas they will be exposed to malaria mosquitos (night-biting Anopheles) or dengue mosquitos (day biters)."

 

[DocVikingo]

Update on Dengue fever in Hawaii. Over 300 cases under investigation, with confirmed cases currently standing at Maui=56, Oahu=13, Kauai=4 & Big Island=1.

Public education and mosquito control & eradication programs continue apace.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[fredk]

had this horrible fever several years ago while working in the dominican republic don't wish it on anyone lost 26 lbs. over a 2 week period. never been so sick in my life, and since then any flu bug i get has been much worse than before.

 

[Ontario Diver]

Originally posted by DocVikingo
Hi terrydarc,
As Generally, 100% solutions are only for use on clothing & gear.

Not to pick on Doc or nuthin but Canada is the land of Mossie's to the size of turkey with blood sucking probiscuses like garden hoses..........

Be careful with DEET. DO NOT USE IT ON OR NEAR RUBBER, NYLON, OR FLEXIBLE PLASTICS!!!! It eats the crap out of them and quickly too! and hey, what is most of your dive gear made out of?


Some of the Cdn folk tales:
1) Don't wear "flower" colours
2) They are attracted to CO
3) If the wind is up, they fall to the ground so don't wear sandals (and the fashion cops say don't wear socks with sandals )
4) Eat not Banannas (Potassium attracts them)
5) Don't stand near Syruss or my friend Bob (Some people just attract the damn things - they are usually in the canoe that is paddling solo)

and then of course......Blackflies.... Let's not talk about blackflies (shudder)

Of course, up here we just slap the durn things. (Just a joke - Cdn Mossies although nasty don't carry Nile Virus, Malariea, or Dengue - they just suck out all of your blood)