The rains are falling, the mosquitoes are flying, and dengue fever is trying to get you.

Dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever
These diseases are endemic in Southeast Asia. They are caused by dengue virus from the bite of aedes mosquito that lives in the houses and their neighbourbood. This mosquito bites during the day time. Dengue infection in local people, mostly children, often results in fever with bleeding in the skin and other organs (dengue hemorrhagic fever) which is sometime fatal; but for travellers from non-endemic areas, the infection usually minifests as fever with rash in the skin, severe headache and muscle and pains (dengue fever), which is usually non-fatal.

Dengue infection is common in the rainy season (approximately May to September in Thailand) when aedes mosquito is abundant. Travellers visiting local households or their vicinity, especially in the rainy season, should be using mosquito repellent even in the day time. Ones who are ill with symptoms suspected of dengue infection should seek medical consultation to establish the cause of the illness.
Two recent dengue infections (involving two hospital stays) prompt this warning. One was a student of a friend, and the other was the older brother of a friend. They were both in outlying regions of Chiang Mai when they got bitten and fell ill.

If you live here, may I suggest Black Hole mosquito traps to kill the pests, and repellent mats (with small electric heaters) to drive away any survivors.

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