Health Alert
LEVEL 1 - PRACTICE USUAL PRECAUTIONS
Dengue in Malaysia
Updated November 24, 2015What is the current situation?
According to the World Health Organization, from October 18-24, 2015, there were 2,286 cases of dengue reported in Malaysia.
Travelers to Malaysia(http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/malaysia?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001) should protect themselves against mosquito bites(http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/avoid-bug-bites) to avoid getting dengue.
What can travelers do to prevent dengue?
Learn more about dengue(http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/diseases/dengue).
No vaccine or medicine can prevent dengue. Travelers can protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites.
Prevent mosquito bites:
- Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
- Use an insect repellent as directed.
- Higher percentages of active ingredient provide longer protection. Use products with the following active ingredients:
- DEET (products containing DEET include Off!, Cutter, Sawyer, and Ultrathon)
- Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin; products containing picaridin include Cutter Advanced, Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus, and Autan [outside the United States])
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD (products containing OLE include Repel and Off! Botanicals)
- IR3535 (products containing IR3535 include Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus Expedition and SkinSmart)
- Always follow product directions and reapply as directed:
- If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.
- Follow package directions when applying repellent on children. Avoid applying repellent to their hands, eyes, and mouth.
- Treated clothing remains protective after multiple washings. See the product information to find out how long the protection will last.
- If treating items yourself, follow the product instructions carefully.
- Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
- Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). You can buy pretreated clothing and gear or treat them yourself:
- Stay and sleep in screened or air conditioned rooms.
- Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.
If you feel sick and think you may have dengue:
- Talk to your doctor or nurse if you feel seriously ill, especially if you have a fever.
- Tell them about your travel.
- For more information about medical care abroad, see Getting Health Care Abroad(http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/getting-health-care-abroad).
Traveler Information
- Dengue Patient Education
- Avoid Bug Bites(http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/avoid-bug-bites)-Information for travelers
- CDC Dengue website
- Insect Repellent Use and Safety
- Travelers Can Prevent Dengue (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/pdf/dengue-brochure.pdf)
- Prevent Dengue on a Mission Trip (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/pdf/dengue-mission-trip.pdf)
Clinician Information
- Dengue (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-3-infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/dengue) in CDC Health Information for International Travel, the “Yellow Book”
- CDC Dengue website
- Clinical Guidance
- Laboratory Guidance
- Dengue: Standard Notifiable Disease
- Case Definition
- Protection against Mosquitoes, Ticks, & Other Insects & Arthropods(http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-2-the-pre-travel-consultation/protection-against-mosquitoes-ticks-and-other-insects-and-arthropods)
- Page created: April 24, 2015
- Page last updated: November 19, 2015
- Page last reviewed: November 19, 2015
- Content source: