A new survey carried out by Arctech Innovation, a spin-out company of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), in conjunction with Incognito, published today found only a third of UK citizens take insect repellent abroad with them. This ties in with UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data published last year, confirming malaria and dengue fever are brought back into the UK in record numbers. The UK imported more of these diseases than any other EU country.
The new survey highlighted only 36% of UK residents take insect repellent abroad when travelling overseas, and 58% were travelling to destinations with mosquito-borne diseases. The survey corroborated UKHSA data confirming dengue cases are the highest since records began. The Asian Tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, which can carry the disease, is present in the UK, but currently does not carry the dengue fever virus. However, because UK residents are bringing back mosquito-borne diseases from overseas travel, it is only a matter of time before there is a dengue outbreak on these shores. It’s a similar story with malaria, which had a resurgence after COVID.
Journalist and bite prevention expert Howard Carter works with faculties of tropical diseases in the UK and South East Asia after contracting dengue and malaria: “The global dengue explosion means that Brits must take insect repellent with them when they travel. It is endemic throughout the tropics and found in the three most-visited EU countries. Malaria is also now present on the Continent. Shockingly, 64% of us do not take insect repellent when visiting countries with a risk. Two active ingredients, DEET and PMD, are clinically proven by LSHTM to give total protection anywhere in the world. For those that don’t like using the former (as it’s a neurotoxin), the latter is a natural active insect repellent that also safeguards you. Some people are unaware that PMD repellents, like Incognito, also provide a complete defence against contracting dengue.”
