Biologist explains the danger of sandflies – “Toxins in the saliva”

1. ingame
2. Gaming News
3. streaming

Created: 12/06/2022 3:32 p.m

Of: Joost Rademacher

In 7 vs. Wild, the participants have to deal with nasty sandflies. A biologist is now explaining why the small insects are really dangerous.

Isla San José – If you venture alone on a deserted island, you have to be prepared for all the dangers of nature. The participants of 7 vs. Wild experience this first hand in the second season. Crocodiles, flood, spiders and poisonous plants, the seven survivors have had to deal with all of them. Now, of all things, small sandflies could become a danger. A biologist explains why the little bugs in 7 vs. Wild aren’t to be trifled with – and how to protect yourself from them.

7 vs. Wild: Sandflies terrorize Fritz and Sabrina – biologist explains why this is dangerous

This happened in the last few episodes: Anyone who has followed 7 vs. Wild in past episodes will have noticed that participants like Fritz Meinecke and Sabrina Outdoor have repeatedly complained about sores and rashes. In the case of Fritz, there were even thick swellings on his arm, which visibly hurt when he moved. Most recently, Sabrina had to reach for the first aid kit in 7 vs. Wild, although not because of a mosquito bite.

Behind this are the widespread sand gnats, often also called sand flies. Biologist Wolfgang Dibiasi recently shared a video on YouTube explaining what makes the bites of these mosquitoes so painful and dangerous.

This is why the small insects are so dangerous: As Wolfgang Dibiasi explains in his video on YouTube, sand flies secrete their saliva into the human wound when they bite them. With certain toxins in the saliva, the sand fly can ensure that blood clotting is weakened so that it can absorb more of the blood. The problem is that the human body fights the toxic saliva of sand flies with an extreme immune reaction. That’s why Fritz and Sabrina developed such severe inflammation and rashes.

But that’s not all, Dibiasi reveals even more dangerous consequences that the bite of a sand fly can have. Like many other mosquitoes, the sand fly could also spread various diseases, including parasites called leishmania. These parasites could then cause leishmaniasis, which can even be fatal if left untreated. We have included the full video of the biologist for you here:

This disease is about: Leishmaniasis is not a disease that you don’t hear about too often. But that doesn’t mean it’s not very common. According to the charity Doctors Without Borders 700,000 to 1,000,000 people contract leishmaniasis every year, and 20,000 to 30,000 of the cases end in death. Luckily, the disease is treatable, and there are several ways to protect yourself from sandflies. Wolfgang Dibiasi has already observed some of these in the participants of 7 vs. Wild.

7 vs. Wild: Protection from Sandflies – These candidates got it right

How to protect yourself from sandflies: As the YouTube biologist explains in his video, it is particularly important not to be on the beach in the morning or evening, as sandflies are particularly active at this time. You should also show as little open skin as possible. Sascha Huber, for example, would have done it right by wearing a lot of clothes on his body, especially in the morning and evening.

A fire would also have an advantage, as smoke is also a good deterrent to sandflies. If necessary, you could even rub yourself in mud – a tactic that Fritz Meinecke had already observed. So he literally saved his skin.