Insect Bite Precautions
First, it is important to know what types of insects will be present at the destination traveled to. The following are approaches to avoid being bitten:

1) Wear loose fitting clothing with long sleeves and pants. Light colored clothing also makes it easier to see insects.
2) Permethrin on clothing. Permethrin is an insecticide that will deter biting insects.
3) Apply DEET (20-30% concentration) to skin. DEET is an insect repellant. Safety with using DEET in pregnancy is unclear but no evidence of birth defects have shown. Children should use an adult strength dose when in areas with a high risk of Malaria.

DEET - adverse effects can be minimized by:
a) Apply DEET compound sparingly to exposed skin or clothing
b) Don't inhale or ingest repellants. Avoid eye contact
c) Avoid putting repellant onto children's hands to avoid eye/mouth contact
d) Do not apply on cuts, abrasions or broken skin
e) Wash repellant off after being outdoors

4) Sleep under mosquito netting.
5) Use an air conditioner in apartments and hotel rooms and be sure to repair torn screens.
6) Destroy nearby breeding sites. (Water collecting in containers)
7) Mosquito coils and vapor mats.
8) DEET impregnated wrist and ankle bands.
9) Spray living quarters with insecticide to kill uninvited insect and bugs.

In much of the world, biting insects transmit many diseases to people. Mosquitoes may transmit Malaria (Night biting species), Yellow Fever, or Dengue Fever (Day biting species), Japanese Encephalitis (Evening biting species), or other parasitic diseases (Many species).

Ticks transmit Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tick Bourne Encephalitis, and others. Sandfies cause a variety of diseases. In Africa TseTse Flies transmit African Sleeping Sickness, while Reduviid in South America, the bug gives Chaga's Disease.

Many of these illnesses are severe and only some are preventable with vaccines. All others there is no treatment or cure. It is important to take precautions against being bit.