Dengue Fever Sri Lanka

[Emmjo]

We are hoping to book a trip to Sri Lanka but are very concerned about the Dengue fever situation. We understand Dengue Fever is more prevalent in all tropical locations now but in Sri Lanka in 2017, the Ministry of Health saw 186,101 cases, about 3 1/2 times the number of cases reported in 2016.

Is there anyone who went during last years rainy season, we'd really like to know what the situation was like on the ground. Our girls are 9 and 12 and I'm really worrying about them getting it. Thank you!

[papooshka]

Never been to Sri Lanka but I used to live in Singapore where there is also Dengue. ITs spread by mosquitos so you have to make sure you don't get bitten, its the aedes mosquito which also bite during the day, so just make sure you cover yourself and kids in repellent.

[PotteringAlong]

My DH has had dengue fever, caught when working in Peru. It’s not pretty!

[DeltaG]

I had dengue when I lived in the Philippines. It's unpleasant but not serious in the vast majority of cases. Would ruin your holiday though, that's for sure.

I'm not au fait with Sri Lanka, but the best advice anywhere is to diligently avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes. Sleep under nets and have repellent on at all times (including daytime - tiger mozzies are day-biters too).

[habibihabibi]

My then 4yr old child contracted Dengue on a Sri Lankan holiday. He was really very poorly for almost a month and lost a lot of weight. He had to be admitted to hospital as became very dehydrated purely because he didn't have the energy to swallow.
We took all possible precautions but I guess it tales only one bite. I'd bed nets , spray ;creams , long trousers and sleeves at night and room plug ins. The problem is there are mozzies everywhere .
It was horrible for him but it wouldn't stop me from returning to Sri Lanka .
I don't know if you can buy DEET in the UK anymore but we used it on a trip to Thailand and it's is the best repellent I've used.

[Coyoacan]

Well Dengue is unpleasant but not a problem with the first infection. Any other infections afterwards however are extremely dangerous.

A lot is to do with public health policies. At least in urban areas there need to be active campaigns to get rid of stagnant water.

As for prevention, apart from mosquito nets and repellants, I believe one of the vitamin B complex, I think B12, is recommended. You should take it for at least two weeks before travelling and it seems to repel mosquitos.

[Emmjo]

Thank you! That's all really helpful. Yes we read that a second infection can turn into dengue hemorrhagic fever if you are infected with a different sub type of the diease. I will have a look at b vitamins too. The FCO now advise that dengue is prevalent in most tropical areas so . . .
Thank you again!

[GinUser]

I was in Sri Lanka last year in September/October, on the west coast so lots of thundery storms. No mention of dengue fever. Jut used Autan and a local preparation to repel mosquitos, but didn't get bitten at all. However, I was on the coast mostly. Might be different if you were inland in swampy areas.
Should add that I have been going to Sri Lanka regularly since 1998 and have never been ill at all.

[specialsubject]

you are just as vulnerable as the kids, and if you get it you will be knocked out for weeks if not months. Can your financial situation stand that?

heavy duty real insect repellent (not 'natural' crap') day and night, cover up, try and keep in a breeze or under a net and recognise it is a hazard in ALL tropical places. If you do get it you are at much higher risk of haemorrhage next time as there are four types and you will only be immune to one.

roll on that vaccine for all who have to live in these places.

[xinchao]

We live in a country with high rates of dengue. I have had it and my son has had it twice. It is grim but my experience (and that of many friends) is that children are far more resilient to it than adults. My son was hospitalised but that was more of a precaution, whereas I was hospitalised because I was very unwell. He took maybe 4 weeks to fully recover, I took months. It is different for everyone - I know people whose first time was worse than there second and people who had very mild symptoms.

BUT it wouldn't stop me from going on holiday anywhere, and certainly not SL. There are precautions you can take and if done properly, you would be very unlucky to get bitten by a dengue-carrying mosquito. There are risks associated with any travel to a tropical country so I guess you weigh those risks against how much you want to go/what you will get out of it.

[Girlgoneglobal]

Couldn't agree more with @specialsubject you need DEET all the way. You can't get it in Sri Lanka it's all natural and citronella. So take plenty with you. My husband and I were there for four years and never got Dengue. Although we know lots who did.

It has an incubation period - so if you come home and feel unwell go straight to hospital and keep asking them to test for the symptoms of dengue. They won't be as alert to it as in tropical hospitals who know what to do and how to treat. There's no treatment for such as dengue - you can only treat the symptoms.