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I’ve had the cabin crew walk the aisles with bug spray on long haul flights into London from more tropical locations but, twice in the last two weeks, I have been sprayed on a short-haul outbound UK to Italy flight. Does anybody know if this is a new policy? Had never experienced this on short haul before so 2x can’t possibly be an isolated coincidence – and I find it quite annoying to say the least.
Relatively new requirement, picked up this on FT
Due to Dengue fever risks, destination in Italy are also now required to be sprayed until the alternative means of compliance and 45 day ‘dengue free’ certification rolls through.
It’s a new requirement by the Italian Authorities due to Dengue Fever precautions.
Dengue fever in Italy?
Why, how?Same way as malaria and other diseases get (back) in. Infected mosquitoes get into planes (hence the spraying), and bite people, or non-infected mosquito gets onto plane and then bites an infected person.
Fascinating fact – the malaria parasite can only reproduce in the stomach of a certain strain of female mosquito, so it gives an infected person a fever, making them an easier target for the mosquito to spot and bite, and suck in the parasite with the human blood. Then when it’s done reproducing the mosquito bites someone else and the parasite gets into a new bloodstream. It’s just the weirdest thing.
As someone whose blood is like crack cocaine for mozzies (apparently they love group O above all else!), I read a lot about this stuff!
Also – malaria used to be common in Italy and southern Europe until there was a comprehensive programme of swamp draining and eradication of mosquitoes. It’s making a comeback due to air travel becoming so common.
Thanks for the info. Hopefully it will be a temporary measure then. I find the spray quite toxic.
The policy must have its reasons but it makes little sense being applied to UK departure flights as I doubt very much the UK is a source of dengue infected mosquitoes in the first place.
Same way as malaria and other diseases get (back) in. Infected mosquitoes get into planes (hence the spraying), and bite people, or non-infected mosquito gets onto plane and then bites an infected person.
Fascinating fact – the malaria parasite can only reproduce in the stomach of a certain strain of female mosquito, so it gives an infected person a fever, making them an easier target for the mosquito to spot and bite, and suck in the parasite with the human blood. Then when it’s done reproducing the mosquito bites someone else and the parasite gets into a new bloodstream. It’s just the weirdest thing.
As someone whose blood is like crack cocaine for mozzies (apparently they love group O above all else!), I read a lot about this stuff!
Also – malaria used to be common in Italy and southern Europe until there was a comprehensive programme of swamp draining and eradication of mosquitoes. It’s making a comeback due to air travel becoming so common.
Cometh the hour, cometh the woman. Giorgia Meloni will have to pull off the same national campaign that Mussolini did back in his day.
Anna if you think the mosquito species specific thing is odd, go have a read about fig wasps.
You don’t really want mosquitoes going in either direction because there’s still a risk that they could bite an infected person and spread disease.
The death rate from malaria and similar diseases in developing countries is horrific (something like one child dying every 2 minutes from malaria) – as well as supporting eradication in these countries, it’s really important we keep them out of Europe as much as possible.
Dengue fever in Italy?
Why, how?They have had dengue fever and chikungunya in France and Italy for some years. Dengue is quite bad in South America at present, although easing off as they move into winter.
Another blood group-O mozzie magnet here.
To add to the Head for Epidemiology thread, malaria also used to be endemic to the UK and we still have 5 species of the Anopheles genus of mosquitoes which transmits the disease. Luckily, at present, we don’t have a pool of infected people for them to bite.
Dengue is spread by mosquitoes of the Aedes genus which bites during the day (Anopheles females tend to take their blood meal in the evening). A good reason to take anti-mosquito measures seriously at all times in an at-risk area.On our grand tour of Asia towards the end of last year there was a lot Dengue fever around, especially in Vietnam. We met lots of travellers thought they had a bad dose of Covid but when they eventually sought medical help had Dengue fever confirmed. Fortunately I’m blood group A and the mosquitoes seem to like OH and kids who are all Group O!
Malaria, the word, is actually derived from old Italian from mala aria, literally “bad air,” from mala “bad” (feminine. of malo, from Latin malus) + aria “air”
The disease, now known to be mosquito-borne, once was thought to be caused by foul air in marshy districts.
We were sprayed going out to Madeira recently, but not on the way back. Just had a thought and wondered if Ryanair would charge extra for it!
Optional extra, and woe betide you if anyone else’s spray drifts over your seat 😂
@LD27 – my OH and son are both group A and joke that I’m their protection! I can’t expose a milimetre of unprotected skin when we’re anywhere where there are mozzies, fortunately during the day sunscreen seems to keep them at bay. At night, or in areas with a lot of vegetation, I need the kind of chemical repellent which melts plastic if you’re not careful where you apply it 😱
@AJA, it was probably an easy mistake given that mozzies gather around stagnant, marshy places. They’ve tried to breed the dangerous ones out of existence in recent years, but it doesn’t seem to have worked and a lot of places have just resumed spraying.The tiger mosquito is making its way slowly Northward in Europe and is one to beware of particularly. Colouring a bit wasp-like but mosquito body.
Aedes albopictus. Small, (nearly) silent, bites quickly! More black and white than wasp colored. But yes, spreading as copes with colder winters.
Christ, I’d better stock up on Jungle Formula 🙈 🦟
Until the mid 1800’s the “bad air” theory was dominant then ‘germ theory’ gained prominence. Then hand hygiene and then proper surgical clothing,
Before that a sign you were a good surgeon was the lack of blood on your frock coat that you didn’t remove because it was undignified for a gentleman to be seen not properly dressed (well apart from by his valet!)
My flight last week from Gatwick to Tobago was sprayed twice. First on the ground at Gatwick, and then before taking off from St Lucia for the short hop to Tobago. I guess we will be in for the same treatment on the way home.
In case anyone is interested, I did some digging in the medical conditions pages on the BA website and came across the following updated list. Seems to imply that all BA flights from UK into Italy will be sprayed until further notice.
________________________
BA Flights departing from the UK to these countries require disinsection
Argentina: Buenos Aires
Barbados: Bridgetown
India: Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai
Italy*: Brindisi, Bologna, Rome, Florence, Milan (Linate and Malpensa), Naples, Olbia, Perugia, Palermo, Pisa, Venice
Jamaica: Kingston, Montego Bay
Kenya: Nairobi
Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur
Seychelles: Mahe
* Request from Italian health authorities (2024) due to possible Dengue fever risk – spraying required on all flights into ItalyI have some Pandemic-era masks for sale?? I usually just hold my breath for 30-40 seconds.
Not really sure it’s going to stop mozzies from Italy, but one has to try.
Wonder what strong anti vaxxers will do in this confined situation?
Hold their breathe for five minutes ??
Hopefully 10-20 mins 😉 As the anti-vaxxers in the USA say: “My body, my choice”. Well, unless you’re pregnant….?!
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