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The transmission of dengue occurs through the bite of the female mosquito Aedes Aegypti, which causes symptoms such as pain in the joints, body, head, nausea, fever above 39ºC and red spots on the body.
Bites by the dengue mosquito usually occur in the early hours of the morning or in the late afternoon, especially in the area of the legs, ankles or feet. In addition, your bite is more common during the summer, so it is recommended to use repellents on the body and insecticides at home, for protection.
The prevention of dengue can be done with simple practices that avoid, mainly, the reproduction of the transmitting mosquito, through the elimination of objects that accumulate standing water such as tires, bottles and plants.
It is important that all people who live nearby, in the same neighborhood, have these precautions against dengue, as this is the only way to reduce the chances of dengue transmission. Some of the most important precautions for preventing dengue are:
1. Eliminate outbreaks of standing water
The mosquito that transmits dengue proliferates in places with standing water, so eliminating water sources is an essential precaution to prevent the mosquito from reproducing:
- Keep the dishes of flower pots and plants with sand;
- Store bottles with the mouth facing down;
- Always clean the pipe gutters;
- Do not throw garbage on vacant land;
- Always place trash in closed bags;
- Keep buckets, water tanks and pools always covered;
- Leave tires protected from rain and water;
- Eliminate plastic cups, soft drink caps, coconut shells in bags that can be sealed;
- Pierce aluminum cans before being discarded so as not to accumulate water;
- Wash bird and animal drinkers at least once a week;
If a person identifies a vacant lot with accumulated garbage and objects with standing water, it is necessary to notify a competent authority, such as the National Health Surveillance Agency - Anvisa on the phone number 0800 642 9782 or call the city hall.
2. Apply larvicides
In places with a lot of stagnant water sources, such as junk deposits, junkyards or dumps, larvicides are applied, that is, chemicals that eliminate mosquito eggs and larvae. However, this application must always be made by trained professionals, being indicated by the health departments of the city halls.
The type of application depends on the number of mosquito larvae found and generally does not cause any harm to people's health. These applications can be:
- Focal: consists of the application of small amounts of larvicides directly to objects with standing water, like a plant pot and tires;
- Perifocal: it is similar to pest control and is based on placing larvicides with a device that releases droplets of chemical, must be done by trained people and with personal protective equipment;
- Ultra low volume: also known as smoke, which is when a car emits smoke that helps to eliminate mosquito larvae, and is carried out in cases where there is an outbreak of dengue.
In addition, community health workers who work at health posts often visit neighborhood homes in order to detect and destroy water reservoirs that are accumulating water, helping to reduce dengue transmission outbreaks.
3. Avoid being bitten by the mosquito
How dengue is transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, it is possible to prevent the disease through measures that prevent the bite of this mosquito, such as:
- Wear long pants and long-sleeved blouses in times of epidemic;
- Apply repellent daily to exposed areas of the body, such as face, ears, neck and hands;
- Have protective screens on all windows and doors in the house;
- Light a citronella candle at home, as it is insect repellent;
- Avoid going to places with a dengue epidemic.
Before applying any repellent, it is necessary to see if the product is released by Anvisa and if it contains less than 20% of the active ingredients such as DEET, icaritine and IR3535. However, some repellents can be made at home using plants. See options for homemade repellents for children and adults.
Watch the following video and check out these and other tips on how to avoid mosquito bites:
4. Get the dengue vaccine
A vaccine that protects the body against dengue is available in Brazil, which is indicated for people up to 45 years old who have had dengue several times and who live in places with many cases of this disease. In addition, this vaccine is not available by SUS and is only available in private clinics. See how the dengue vaccine is made.