Mosquitos transmit a wide variety of parasitic and viral illness including Malaria, Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, West Nile Virus, Zika Virus, Chikungunya, and Japanese Encephalitis. While many of these diseases are more common in tropical, low-elevation regions, their prevalence is influenced by many factors, including climate, socioeconomic conditions, and environmental changes (World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/health-topics/neglected-tropical-diseases). Mosquito born illnesses may cause symptoms so mild as to not be noticed, or severe enough to cause serious symptoms such as blindness, birth defects, or even death. It’s important to understand the risk of mosquito borne illnesses in the areas you plan to travel. Protecting yourself by wearing insect repellant, long clothing, and avoiding outdoors during peak mosquito times are all great ways to stay safe from mosquito born illnesses.
Crossing more than two time zones unpleasantly disrupts the normal sleep/wake cycle. Traveling east is generally worse than traveling west, but ‘jet lag’ occurs in both directions and negatively impacts the travel experience. There are several proven strategies to minimize the effects of jet lag:
Take the doctor with you