Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
06 August 2014 09:19
Mosquitoes can spread dangerous diseases such as malaria
Smartphone apps which emit ultrasonic frequencies may help keep mosquitoes at bay, but experts warn against using them as standalone repellents.
Mosquitoes can be a serious problem for travellers as they can spread serious tropical diseases such as malaria, which can be fatal.
Electronic mosquito repellents, or EMRs, claim to work by emitting sounds mimicking those of mosquito predators such as bats and dragonflies.
Alternatively, they replicate the noise made by the wings of male insects as once a female mosquito has mated, she is thought to actively avoid contact with males.
The most popular app of its kind is the Anti Mosquito Sonic Repeller, which comes with a range of frequencies to target different species of mosquito, depending on location.
The app's developers claim that most people will not notice the sound it emits, as the pitch is so high it is inaudible to humans.
But the app does not guarantee 100% protection from mosquitoes as there are over 3,500 species, all of which react slightly differently to the sound.
In fact, experts have warned against using EMRs as sole repellents and stress the importance of using more conventional measures to avoid sustaining bites and having to claim for treatment on your medical travel insurance policy.
Researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine found that EMRs had no impact on the landing rates of mosquitoes.
This means there is no evidence that such devices or apps could help prevent the spread of diseases such as malaria in humans, they say.
The experts also stress that there is little proof that female mosquitoes avoid males after mating, adding that it is in fact the males which are attracted by the female flight sound.
By contrast female mosquitoes have a very low sensitivity for sound compared to their male counterparts.
20 September 2017
Thousands of Ryanair flights have been cancelled over the next six weeks, as the airline says it "messed up" allocation of its pilots' annual leave.
[more...]
19 September 2017
Manchester's Girlguides are being urged to help the elderly with a new badge incentivising youngsters to tackle senior loneliness.
16 September 2017
Holidaymakers are being evacuated as winds up to 200km per hour hit Central Vietnam, with Typhoon Doksuri damaging houses, roads and infrastructure.
15 September 2017
People in parts of East Anglia are eight times more likely to survive liver disease than Blackpool residents, according to new data by Public Health England (PHE).
14 September 2017
A non-invasive alternative to gastric bypass surgery that helps people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight is being recommended for widespread use by NHS experts.
13 September 2017
Almost half of UK adults travelling to areas at risk of malaria are not covering themselves by taking medication, despite recommendations made by the NHS and world health organisations.
12 September 2017
A new health warning has been issued by scientists in Sweden, suggesting e-cigarettes with nicotine could lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
09 September 2017
Researchers have developed a futuristic pen-like device that can tell whether someone has cancer much faster than current technology.
08 September 2017
A staffing crisis in the NHS is seeing cancer patients turned away from their GP surgery and instead visiting A&E, a report has claimed.
07 September 2017
Whether it's binge-watching box-sets, shopping for clothes, chatting to friends or picking up work emails, staying connected is pretty much essential to everyday life.
06 September 2017
Around 1 in 2 GPs do not know that black men have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer, research has suggested.
05 September 2017
Many middle-aged men have hearts in a condition that makes the organ seem older than the men's actual age, a new study has revealed.