The Travel Health and Vaccine Specialists

Health Alert


LEVEL 1 - PRACTICE USUAL PRECAUTIONS

Dengue in Malaysia

Updated May 27, 2015

What is the current situation?

According to the World Health Organization, as of April 11, 2015, more than 35,700 cases of dengue fever, including 108 deaths, have been reported in Malaysia in 2015. This is a 36% increase in cases in 2015 compared with the same period for 2014.

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:

Traveler Information

Clinician Information