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Sand flies: Little bug, big bite

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amber R. Kelly-Herard
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq --  Being deployed means encountering many dangers, to include insect bites.

Recently, there has been an increase in insect bites, especially from sand flies, at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

Airmen from the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group Public Health flight actively survey JB Balad for sand flies and recommend spraying as necessary to prevent them.

Female sand flies and female mosquitoes both require blood to survive, but mosquitoes prefer more tropical climates.

"Sand flies are harder to find than mosquitoes, which are found near stagnant water, because they only need a little bit of moisture to thrive, such as in the cracks of mud," said Staff Sgt. Michael Davis, 332nd EMDG Public Health flight technician, who is deployed from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

The 332nd EMDG Public Health flight recommends these tips to help prevent sand flies:

- Check rooms for cracks in the wall and try to keep the door closed

- Avoid using highly scented soaps

- Maintain proper wear of the uniform and tuck uniform pants into boots

- Spray uniforms with permethrin and wear bug spray with DEET

- Sleep on a top bunk or elevated bed if possible since sand flies are low-flying insects

- Keep rooms clear of trash that attracts rodents, as sand flies dwell in rodent burrows

- Remove all sources of standing water such as an open water bottle that can be used as a breeding ground

"If you have bite marks that you think need to be looked at or that are taking longer than normal to heal, come in and let a healthcare provider take a look at it," said Maj. Kristi Wiechert, 332nd EMDG Public Health chief, who is deployed from Joint Base Andrews, Md.

Although the sand flies are smaller than1/16 of an inch long, they can leave a big bite mark.

"When sand flies bite someone, they inject histamine which causes an allergic reaction in most people," said Davis, who is originally from Oklahoma City, Okla. "The injection also provides a local anesthetic, which is why people cannot feel when they are getting bit."

Some sand flies have the potential of transmitting the disease, Leishmaniasis.

"Leishmaniasis is caused by protozoa that live in infected female sand flies and is transmitted when biting humans," said Wiechert, who is a native of Lake City, Ark.

Sand flies can also cause a viral infection known as sand fly fever.