- 1. Elimination of outbreaks of standing water
- 2. Application of larvicides
- 3. Avoid being bitten by the mosquito
- 4. Use of the dengue vaccine
Dengue is a disease caused by a virus transmitted by the bite of the female Aedes aegypti mosquito and causes symptoms such as pain in the joints, body, head, nausea, fever above 39ºC and red spots on the body.
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, take the same precautions against dengue, as this way, it is possible to reduce the chances of dengue transmission. Some of these cares that help in the prevention of dengue are:
1. Elimination of outbreaks of standing water
The mosquito that transmits dengue proliferates in places with standing water, so some recommendations are made to prevent the mosquito from reproducing, such as:
- Keep the dishes of flower pots and plants with sand; Store bottles with the spout facing downwards; Always clean the pipe gutters; Do not throw garbage in vacant lots; Always pack garbage in closed bags; Keep buckets, water tanks and always covered pools; Leave tires protected from rain and water; Eliminate plastic cups, soda lids, coconut shells in bags that can be sealed; Punch aluminum cans before being discarded so as not to accumulate water; Washing bird drinking fountains and animals 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 0800 642 9782 or call the city hall.
2. Application of larvicides
In places with plenty 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 is made by trained professionals and is indicated by the health departments of the city halls.
The type of application depends on the amount of mosquito larvae found and generally does not cause any harm to people's health. These applications can be:
- Focal: consists of applying small amounts of larvicides directly to objects with standing water, such as plant pots 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 individual protection 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 outbreaks of dengue transmission.
3. Avoid being bitten by the mosquito
As 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:
- Wear long pants and long-sleeved blouses in times of epidemic; Wear repellent daily on 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 in home, as it is insect repellent; avoid going to places with 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. Use of the dengue vaccine
The 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.
