Is there a correlation between those who get malaria and their trade?

Farmers, explorers, sportsmen (to name a few) are just some of the trades most commonly affected by Malaria and throughout the ages, many great figures have suffered at its ferocious hands. Fausto Coppi, internationally renowned Italian cyclist often referred to as Il Campionissimo (The champion of champions), is just one of the greats lost to malaria. Many others such as David Attenborough, Ross Kemp, Ghengis Khan have successfully battled Malaria and from their experiences we can observe a relationship between their trade of choice and their contracting of the disease.

Sports professionals, and those who spend more time exposed to the elements, are at a higher risk of contracting an insect-bourne disease due to elongated exposure, the likelihood of excessive perspiration and therefore increased emissions of CO2 and lactic acid. Increased exhalation and excessive body odor illuminates our whereabouts to the preying insect, so those who do both as part of their career or simply keen sportsmen or women are in greater danger of being bitten.

Much akin to that of the sports figure, fisherman and those who work by or in water are also at a higher risk of being bitten due to the concentration of insects that dwell in and around stagnant water. Stagnant water is a breeding ground for the likes of midges and mozzies, so donning you’re favourite fishing shorts and wading into a lake is asking for those nasty nibbles on your knees when you come out.

So my top tips for those who spend their summers frolicking outdoors, first and foremost, wear incognito® insect repellent spray or roll-on. Ideally you will wash in the hair & body wash as most ordinary shampoos & show gels contain attractants to insects. It helps to burn the incognito® incense sticks, especially if you are cutting up the fish or using chomp. Prevention is always better than dealing with the consequences of being bitten. Even if you can’t tell you are getting bitten, you may well be.

Scratching a bite is never a good idea, no matter how good it feels, the itch will not go away and you’ll be left with an irritable enflamed lump; totally not worth the 3 seconds relief that scratching provided. Using incognito® Zap-Ease provides the same relief, yet doesn’t exacerbate the wound and increase chances of unsightly scars. And lastly, cover up! Although your legs may well look splendid in that nice new pair of hot pants/speedos, however, when dusk arrives if you are a mosquito magnet, you’ll be eaten alive.