Dengue transmission is caused by the bite of the female Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which causes symptoms such as joint pain, in the body, in the head, nausea, fever above 39 degrees Celsius and red spots on the body.
Mosquito bites from the dengue usually occur early in the morning or late afternoon, especially around the legs, ankles or feet. In addition, their bite is more common during the summer, so it is recommended to use body repellents and insecticides at home, to protect yourself.
- Dengue prevention can be done with simple practices that mainly prevent the reproduction of the transmitting mosquito.
- By removing objects that accumulate stagnant water such as tires.
- Bottles and plants.
It is important that all people living nearby, in the same neighborhood, have these precautions against dengue, as this is the only way to reduce the risk of dengue transmission. Some of the most important precautions to prevent dengue are:
The mosquito that transmits dengue proliferates in places with standing water, so removing water sources is an essential care to prevent the mosquito from reproducing:
If a person identifies a wasteland with accumulated waste and objects with stagnant water, it is necessary to inform a competent authority, such as the National Health Surveillance Agency – Anvisa by telephone 0800 642 9782 or call the city council.
In places with many sources of stagnant water, such as waste deposits, landfills or landfills, larvicides are applied, i.e. chemicals that remove eggs and mosquito larvae. However, this request should always be made by trained professionals, being recommended by the health services of the municipalities.
The type of application depends on the amount of mosquito larvae found and generally does not harm people’s health. These applications can be:
In addition, community health workers working in health posts often visit neighborhood homes to detect and destroy water-accumulating water reservoirs, helping to reduce sources of dengue transmission.
Because dengue is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, it is possible to prevent the disease through measures that prevent the bite of this mosquito, such as:
Before applying a repellent, it is necessary to see if the product is released by Anvisa and if it contains less than 20% of active ingredients such as DEET, icaritine and IR3535. However, some repellents can be made at home using plants. See home repellent options for children and adults.
Watch the video below and check out these and other tips on how to avoid mosquito bites:
In Brazil, a vaccine is available that protects the body from dengue, which is indicated for people up to 45 years of age who have had dengue several times and who live in places with many cases of dengue disease. In addition, this vaccine is not available through the SUS and is only available in private clinics. See how the dengue vaccine is made.