The incognito Blog
This weeks post is set around an article from the Guardian on the 12th of November. It was written about the possibility of ridding the world of dengue fever. Interestingly, the same approach could also successfully combat malaria.
If you did not read the article, a group of scientists mean to genetically modify the male mosquito to be entirely dependent on an antibiotic tetracycline – a drug administered to the mosquitoes in the lab. The male mosquitoes die within a few days if they do not receive this drug and so, wouldn’t survive out in the wild as long as they normally would. They would however survive long enough to mate and pass on this modification.
Lets face it, mosquito bites are annoying. They can ruin holidays, develop dangerous complications and even kill. For most of us however, the threat of contracting malaria from one of the 34 species of mosquito in the UK is negligible but on the rise. But what if you do get bitten either here or abroad and you want to stop that itch?
Well, if you are like me and you suffer welt-like reactions to mosquito bites, this article may provide you with some form of relief.
Malaria predates humans by millennia. It is thought that we contracted it, via mosquitoes, from our early primate cousins and since then, it has proliferated throughout history and affected whole civilizations.
Here are some examples of the famous people struck down by the pathogen. While diagnosis cannot always be confirmed, the records and suspicions speak for themselves.
World conquerors Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan were both thought to have died from malaria. World leaders King Tutankhamen (recent DNA analysis proved) of Egypt and King Mogkut of Thailand were also both struck down by malaria. Both the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empires’ leaders suffered badly from malaria; Otto II, Emperor Henidrich and Andronicus III numbering among them.
The use of insect repellents is fascinating throughout the animal kingdom and is thought to have been around for millions of years. Both primates and birds have used naturally occurring repellents during periods of increased biting insect activity. The repellents range from the use of fruits or leaves to the oils secreted by other insects such as millipedes.
If you are lucky enough to be going away to somewhere hot in the next few months, there will invariably be mosquitoes and other insects present that feed off our blood. There is no need to worry about them provided you C.L.O.A.K!
C – Cover yourself as much as local conditions necessitate with incognito spray.
L – Light coloured clothing should be worn at all times, as mosquitoes prefer darker colours and can easily “hide” on black.
O – Odors from the body are strong attractants to insects and are known as kairomones. Wash thoroughly to lessen body odor before going out. To be squeaky clean you will need to exfoliate with a loofah – which is why incognito created a loofah soap.
A – Avoid wearing perfumes and scent, as they can attract even more mosquitoes to you and you are attractive enough as it is!
K – Keep away from stagnant water; this is where mosquitoes and other insects reproduce so there are nearly always mosquitoes present.
If you follow the above advice it is highly unlikely that you will get bitten
With ever increasing hordes of wasps around this Summer (30,000 stings alone in July!) I thought I’d share my experience of dealing with these problematic creatures. Recently I’ve read a lot about how some people like to place a jar of water and sugar in a corner of their garden to distract a wasps from … Continue reading "Wasps"