Preventing Mosquito Bites When You Travel

Key points

• Plan ahead before you travel.
• Pack insect repellent and protective clothing.
• Stay where there are screens or air conditioning, or bring a mosquito net.
• Going abroad? Find out whether vaccines exist for mosquito-borne diseases there.
• After the trip, watch for symptoms and keep preventing bites for 3 weeks.

What mosquitoes can spread abroad

Overseas, mosquitoes carry viruses and parasites that are rare or absent in the continental U.S. Check current risks for your destination.

For most mosquito-borne viruses there is no vaccine or medicine; for the three that have vaccines (chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, yellow fever), discuss vaccination with your provider.

Repellent

The best protection is an EPA-registered insect repellent with one of these active ingredients — safe and effective when used as directed, even during pregnancy and breastfeeding:

• DEET;
• picaridin (called KBR 3023 or icaridin outside the U.S.);
• oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), plant-derived;
• para-menthane-diol (PMD);
• 2-undecanone, plant-derived.

EPA's search tool finds products by protection time and ingredient.

Before you go

• Check country-specific recommendations, health notices and warnings.
• See a travel clinic or your provider 4 to 6 weeks before the trip.
• Choose lodging with screens or air conditioning when possible.
• Pack a travel health kit, including:
• • EPA-registered repellent;
  • loose, long-sleeved shirts and long pants — mosquitoes bite through thin cloth;
  • clothing and gear (boots, socks, tents) treated with 0.5% permethrin;
  • a mosquito net if sleeping outdoors or without screened rooms.

After you return

• Fever, headache, muscle and joint pain or rash? See your provider right away and mention your travel.
• Even if you feel fine, prevent bites for 3 weeks, so you don't pass viruses such as dengue, chikungunya or Zika to local mosquitoes.

CDC fact sheets: protect against bites when traveling · long sleeves and pants outdoors · infographic

Sources

Based on "Preventing Mosquito Bites While Traveling" (November 21, 2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain. The page's stock photographs are left out.