Notes on Noseeums

Febraury 9, 2011
Puerto Escondido , Oax., Mx

Certain restaurants, or to be more accurate, certain tables at certain restaurants in the tropics- just like in the summer months in the states- are very prone to the presense Noseeums and therefore noseeum bites. The best prophalactic is a thorough laquering of 30% Deet, and choosing a table located with a passing breeze or the good air movement of a fan. A friend kept swiping and rubbing her legs while we were eating, trying to discourage this pernicious, invisible biter who habitate the bottom of the wooden table.


" Can you get Dengue Fever from Noseeum bites?'' she asked in a very concerned tone.
" Just little fevers, hotflashes really. We call them " Dengitos". ( Little Dengue fevers)

Disregarding the glib response, the question was and is valid as Malaria and Dengue Fever are real threats in the tropics, although this is the dry season and the risk greatly reduced. So some research seemed justified.
Well relax. The answer is NO, one cannot contract either disease from Noseeums. The Sand Flea, Sand Fly, Biting Midge, Punky, or better known moniker: Noseeum, may cause red bumps or welts and on rare occasions Letshmaniansis disease, ( mini volcanoe skin welts ) but it won´t kill you, just irritate and annoy you to hell. Unless you are a sheep, in which case you might contract Blue Tongue Virus and `bleeting` will be difficult or impossible.


The moral: The tropics are NOT for nervous types.You may be a chicken-shit-hypocondriac, suffering from a host of imagined maladies and exagerated annoyances, your balls may be blue, your toe-nails black, you skin red and rashed, your eyes yellow from the bad oysters and a subsequent infection of hepititus. But your tongue is not and will not be blue! Quit with the OCD tongue examinations. Leave the tongue-sticking-out to the sheep and the iguanas. OK?

Abrazos,
Esteban