Are there mosquitoes in Central America? Undoubtedly. The only thing more annoying than catching a mosquito in the act of sucking blood is the metallic buzz of one in your room, hiding unseen, just waiting until you close your eyes. And in Central America, mosquitoes seem to be everywhere. It is a rare visitor who leaves without a lot of bites from red mosquito bites.
Mosquitoes and Diseases
To make matters worse, Central American mosquitoes are potential carriers of several debilitating diseases, including malaria, yellow fever (only in Panama), and dengue fever.
In Central America, malaria is the greatest risk. The disease is found in many urban areas and does not only adhere to rural regions. The American Center for Disease Control provides a comprehensive list, breaking down areas at risk country by country. If you are traveling to one of these areas, be sure to ask your doctor to prescribe an antimalarial medicine such as chloroquine. The CDC does not recommend buying these drugs abroad, although they are available without a prescription at many pharmacies.
How to keep mosquitoes away
Of course, it’s best to prevent Central American mosquitoes from biting in the first place. DEET (no more than 50%), a highly potent insect repellent available in sports, travel, and pharmacies, is the traveler’s best defense. Permethrin is an insecticide that can be sprayed on clothing and mosquito nets, effective in repelling and killing mosquitoes and other insects. Before using any of these or other repellants, carefully read the included instructions.
Most Central American mosquito vectors (disease carriers) are most active in twilight, which is a cooler time to venture into long sleeves and permethrin-treated pants.
