My husband and I are visiting Croatia from 10 to 17 of August. I was reading that mosquitoes are prevalent in Croatia and I wanted to know is there any mosquito borne disease we should watch out for . I am pregnant and hence the need to be more careful. Is using a DEET based mosquito repellant sufficient ?
Posted by
New England
1662 posts
Hi Anu,
I have not been to Croatia. I am not a doctor. But, what stood out is your pregnant.
Congratulations!
While DEET is considered relatively safe, there are cautions about using the product and its possible effects to an unborn. I would rethink the use.
https://www.consumerreports.org/insect-repellent/how-safe-is-deet-insect-repellent-safety/
But a call to your doctor could set your mind to rest.
Maybe find an alternate product. There are different strains of mosquitoes; some are more persistent. Distilled Lavender oil or spray (applied directly to the skin) has been stated as effective for many people.
Wear long sleeve gauzy type clothing to be cool but deter the annoying bugs. Wear long, lightweight pants or skirts - whatever is your choice of attire.
Good luck.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
5430 posts
Congratulations
Here is a link to the CDC travel info for Croatia: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/croatia?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001
At present there does not appear to be a risk for mosquito borne illnesses, including Zika. You can also search online for repellents other than those containing DEET, as well as using methods like those outlined by the previous poster.
Posted by
WA State
3961 posts
Agree, valuable information on the CDC link. Wise to take precautions as discussed. That said, I encourage you to discuss with your own health care provider what the best type of repellant is appropriate. Enjoy Croatia!
Posted by
OP
114 posts
Thank you for the useful link.
Posted by
Brooklyn, NY
4259 posts
We have been to Croatia over a dozen times and I don't ever remember a mosquito problem. We will be there next week and the little buggers never made it to my list of things to prepare for.
Posted by
Sioux Falls, SD, USA
3101 posts
When I was a kid in 1961, we visited Beograd in the summer. We went to the restaurants on the boats by the river. We called them the
"mosquito boats" because we were overwhelmed by mosquitoes. I would say that in certain times of the year by water there are mosquitoes in the Balkans.