AIBU to be worried about mosquitos

[PleaseStopWithTheSmallTalk]

Currently abroad with DC's for the first time and we've been bitten by mosquitos. No signs of reaction so far but I googled it (stupidly) and am now terrified that they will catch something awful and I've never really looked at how meany diseases are spread by mosquitos. We're in corfu, is there anything I should be looking out for?

Watch out for fevers and any redness that looks like tracking lines up their limb or bites that begin to ooze.

You are most likely going to be perfectly fine. I've been bitten a gazillion times.

My sister got very ill from a bite in Fiji when she was about 7 years old and the first sign was a fever.

Try and relax and enjoy yourself though. The vast majority of the time its totally fine!

Thanks AsYouWiiiiiiiiiiiiish! should I be looking more for signs of infection from the bite itself or from a nasty bug that they carry? Not sure what the risk is here for disease from mosquitos.

Currently sitting in a restaurant in Corfu with 3 massive mosquito bites. They always get me! Theyre always huge bites but never had any complications with them. Try not to worry xx

OP, do you have health anxiety of any other issues? Is there a particular disease you are suddenly concerned about such as malaria- which isn't in Corfu? I'd be more concerned about zika, but only IF you are pregnant of TTC within 3-6mths, although google says that Greece is only a low-moderate risk.

Use normal mosquitoes precautions. Long sleeves and trousers at dusk, use a preventative spray or cream and use an itchy cream/predniosone cream on the bites already there. Try to enjoy your holiday.

Yeah I do suffer with anxiety. Trying not to let it ruin the holiday but it's been hard today with all the bites. Google said dengue fever, West nile virus, zika and one I didn't care to Google and it just got the better of me a bit. Trying to rationalise and just keep an eye out for any changes in the bites.

We've been to Tuscany for the last few summers and were all bitten dozens of times but it didn't occur to me to be worried, it's just part of being on holiday in a warm place. Obviously in a Malaria zone it would be different but I wouldn't worry in Europe

Annoying buggers. Hydrocortisone cream or a bite cream from a pharmacy will help to soothe any itching and it should settle in a day or two.

I'd also recommend upping your prevention by doing as many of the following as you can

• put the air conditioning on in your room for half an hour or so before bed with all doors and windows closed (mozzies like hot rooms and hot people, so keep you and your room cool).
• use insect repellent spray with 50% deet. Spray it on your bed clothes too.
• avoid perfume - you want to smell bland and boring. Oh and marmite doesn't work.
• wear long sleeves/trousers if you are out in the evening.
• see if you can get a plug in deterrent thing.

You're not going to get dengue fever from mossie bites in Corfu. Get some decent insect repellent and try to relax and enjoy your holiday. And stop Googling!

Drink more wine! The buzzing bastards don't like alcohol.

My MIL swore by swiping the kids with spirits on a cotton wool ball too, we probably always stank of grappa.

Go to a local pharmacy and get their bite cream and a repellent.

Thanks everyone, they don't seem too bad for now so I'll keep an eye on them and get some spray to prevent any more.

You'll be fine in Corfu. The nasty bugs are further south.

We are somewhere there are loads too. I got a bad reaction from them but luckily had 1% hydrocortisone with me - that sorted it. Since getting a plug in deterrent and sleeping inside an empty duvet cover I've not been bitten again.

None of these are a big deal in Greece. I'd be more worried if you said you were in Asia or South America

Mozzies love me and I always take a reaction to the bites. Even here in Northern Ireland Ive got huge bites. Summers for me mean an antihistamine daily and tubes of hydrocortisone to stop me scratching them

Bless. They always get me and I have had a tropical disease transmitted my them, and been hospitalised. Note: tropical. So not Corfu!

Reflex and enjoy your holiday...

I believe where you are the only risk is infection from the bite or a severe allergic reaction as the mosquitoes don't carry any diseases there.

So if the bits aren't tracking up a limb and there's no fever present or puss from the bites then imo you're totally in the clear!

Enjoy your time and don't worry at all

Of course, if you have googled it @PleaseStopWithTheSmallTalk you'll have seen that the tiger mosquitoes are coming into Europe and some concern on cases of Zika and Dengue originating in Europe - it's just at the 'could happen' stage.

It's a worry I agree - we were in Italy this year and saw the bloody huge tiger mosquito once, and we got a fair few bites but were all fine. Tiger mosquitoes are much bigger and fairly easy to see - I caught one easily and killed it.

The warmer climate is extending mosquito season. We take mosquito tents (easy to find on amazon) to minimise bites now.

You've had good advice on what to look for, don't worry.

You can be sure, if there were really cases happening, health bodies all over Europe would be actively warning people.

Just take DEET and some after bite.

YANBU to be concerned. YABU if you let the worry ruin your holiday.

My DD and DH have been bitten all over this summer on holiday - irritating for them but no harm done. Luckily for me mozzies don't find me tasty. Just watch out for any signs the bites couid turn into something more. My DD puts plasters over the worst ones as otherwise she scratches them and makes them worse.

Quoting my own post to add some more details.

The link below is to the official UK travel advice site and so the advice about bites is worldwide so bear in mind that most of it isn't necessarily needed in European destinations.

Do take on board the advice about insect repellent spray and air-conditioning though, you will be glad you did.

And enjoy the section on things that don't work. I guarantee that someone will promise you that at least one of them worked brilliantly for their great aunt Mabel

https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/38/insect-and-tick-bite-avoidance

I'm in Crete right now and have about ten bites. Happens all the time. Mozzies loooooove me, to the extent that DH never gets bit when I'm with him. I rashly sat out on the beach through dusk on the last night of our honeymoon in Sri Lanka and got bitten more than forty times on my legs. Absolutely nothing happened to me, other than itching like buggery.