Nice !

I got an information and advice email today from a health organisation we were recommended to join:- 

Bed bugs
‘Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite!’ is the nightly dictum of the traveller staying in budget accommodation. These oval brown fiends (5-10mm long) usually bite at night and leave a scattering or a line of intensely itchy bites on exposed skin. They can be prevented by choosing good quality accommodation. If you keep a light on at night they will be discouraged from biting, and sleeping under a well-tucked-in permethrin-impregnated bed net will stop them from reaching you. If you have been bitten, do not scratch the bites and take an oral antihistamine (e.g. chlorphenamine or loratidine). Bed bugs do not spread any disease and rarely cause any major harm.

Jiggers
These are sand fleas and are found in many parts of Africa, and in some parts of South America and the Caribbean. Jiggers burrow into the toes or feet, forming pea-size swellings that may ulcerate. The condition that develops is known as tungiasis. They can be easily prevented by wearing sturdy footwear when walking in areas where they occur. In addition, spray your footwear with DEET and inspect your feet periodically, as early removal can help to lessen the infection. If you have a jigger, ask an experienced member of the local community or a medical professional to extract it with a sterile needle and syringe kit. Apply antiseptic afterwards and seek medical advice if you develop redness, pain, pus or swelling. Jiggers pose a tetanus risk so ensure your tetanus boosters are up to date.

Tumbu flies
These live in tropical Africa and, less commonly, South America (also home to the similar bot-fly). Tumbu and bot-flies cause what is known as myiasis – the growth of their larvae in human skin. If you are in an area where these flies are present, watch out for painful boils and make sure there is no maggot inside – they can be identified by two small black dots or the head of a whitish larva. To prevent eggs being laid in your clothes, hot-iron all clothes left to dry outside, including all creases and seams in order to kill the eggs. Better still, dry clothes inside or on a clothes line in full sun. If you do have a larva in your skin, you can kill it by placing a drop of oil or Vaseline on the lesion overnight and then removing the maggot. It is better if a doctor removes it for you, but an experienced local resident may be able to. Ensure that equipment is sterile and that you treat the wound with antiseptic afterwards. Take antibiotics for seven days afterwards. If allergic to penicillin, take either flucloxacillin 500mg four times daily or erythromycin 500mg four times daily.

Ticks
Ticks attach themselves to the body, usually when walking in vegetation or in close proximity to animals. Ticks feed on blood until they enlarge and then fall off. In some cases, they can cause disease (e.g. tick-borne encephalitis, tick-bite fever, some forms of typhus, and Lyme disease). To prevent ticks attaching to you, spray DEET on your skin, or soak your trousers with 100% DEET or permethrin. Tuck your trousers into thick socks and wear sturdy footwear. You can remove ticks by grasping the head end with tweezers and gently pulling them to detach the head-parts. This requires some patience and you should not be tempted to squeeze the tick’s body. Upon removal, apply alcohol to your skin (any spirit will do) and keep an eye out for symptoms of any tick-borne illness occurring.


My #1 daughter got a jigger in her hand when she was at the crawling stage ... it didn't hurt her while it was in her hand, but she didn't like it being removed, for then it did hurt ... the insect produces some sort of anasthetic which numbs the hole they make while it is in situ !