International travelers should be advised that some countries require the spraying of the aircraft passenger compartment with insecticide while passengers are present. This practice is called disinsection, and is used to prevent the importation of insects such as mosquitoes. While these recommended disinsection procedures have been determined to be safe by the World Health Organization, they can aggravate certain health conditions (for example, allergies). Countries that might spray the passenger cabin for insects are located in Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia, and the South Pacific region.

Travelers who are interested in determining what disinsection procedures might be performed on a particular flight should be advised to see the U.S. Department of Transportation web site at http://www.dot.gov/.

© Center fro Disease Control

Credits: National Center for Infectious Diseases