What Are the Various Mosquito-Borne Diseases You Can Get?
Are you at risk for getting 1 of the 13 mosquito-borne diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa? Many types of mosquitoes are carriers who pose risks to human health.
What Are Vector-Borne Diseases?
Vector-borne diseases are diseases you get from living organisms. They transmit infectious pathogens from animals to humans. They can also transmit infectious pathogens from human to human.
Most carriers that spread viral disease in humans are blood-sucking insects. They ingest disease-producing organisms when they take a blood meal. These blood meals come from an infected human or animal. They transmit the disease to a new host once the pathogens replicate.
Usually, when vectors are infectious, they can transmit pathogens for their duration of their lives. This happens with each blood meal they take. It also occurs with increased population density.
Are Mosquito-Borne Diseases Dangerous?
Most of us think of mosquitoes as a nuisance, causing bites in the summer months. But few of us realise how dangerous these vector-carrying insects are. They can carry a host of diseases like Dengue Fever or Malaria, putting the population at risk.
Preventing the bite is always a smart move, especially when travelling abroad and through Africa. The last thing you want is contracting a vector-borne disease. Mosquito-borne illness can be an especially perilous risk for pregnant women.
4 Fast Facts About Mosquito-Borne Sicknesses
- There are 5 primary mosquito-borne diseases that cause untold human suffering.
- Mosquitoes also cause serious diseases in horses and dogs.
- There are over 3,000 species of mosquitoes in the world, and not all are carriers.
- Only three of them spread illnesses. The three vector species are the Anopheles Mosquito, the Culex Mosquito, and the Aedes Spp.
The 5 Main Diseases Mosquitoes Cause
1. Malaria
Malaria was first discovered in Italy. The word malaria means “bad air”. The Plasmodium parasite causes the disease.
Mosquitoes are the primary culprits in the transmission of malaria. The parasite is transferred through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. The parasites multiply in the liver, infecting red blood cells.
Many children succumb to malaria. In 2013, 198,000 cases of malaria were reported. 500,000 people died from the disease across the globe. Most cases reported occurred on the continent of Africa.
What happens when you get malaria?
An infected person will experience fever, headache, and vomiting. Malaria appears from 10 to 15 days after an infected mosquito bite. Malaria is a life-threatening disease when untreated. It disrupts the flow of blood to vital organs.
2. Elephantiasis (Also Known as Lymphatic Filariasis)
There are three filarial key vector species responsible for lymphatic filariasis in humans. Lymphatic filariasis affects 120 million people in 73 countries. Some of these include Asia, Africa, and South America. Other parts of the world are the Western Pacific and certain parts of the Caribbean.
What happens when you get Elephantiasis?
When you are affected by this condition, a limb or part of your body becomes grossly enlarged because of an obstruction of your lymphatic vessels, and the resulting retention of liquid in that limb. If left untreated, it can cause death.
3. Yellow Fever
Yellow fever is a hemorrhagic fever spread by the Aedis Aegypti mosquito. You will find the yellow fever virus in East African countries, West Africa, and Central Africa. Yellow fever causes 30, 000 death every year. It is one of the more serious mosquito-borne viruses in Africa.
Mosquitoes get the virus through blood meals of infected primates, both human and animal. They transmit the virus to both humans and animals. Most infected humans and animals only experience mild symptoms. About 15% develop more serious symptoms.
What happens when you get Yellow Fever?
Yellow fever causes adverse health effects like a high fever, bleeding, jaundice, and the breakdown of organs. The best prevention against yellow fever is the vaccine. Avoiding mosquito breeding sites where vector populations are common is also a good idea if you are a traveller.
4. Chikungunya Virus
Chikungunya is a vector-borne virus. They have identified it in over 60 countries and most continents. We find Chikungunya in Asia, Europe, and Africa. It is also present in the Americas and the Caribbean.
Although Chikungunya is not usually fatal, it causes long-lasting symptoms. Some of these include joint pain, headaches, and a high fever. There is no treatment for Chikungunya and there are no vaccines to prevent the virus.
The best form of treatment is the prevention of mosquito bites. Wear Mozzie Patches, wear loose, long-sleeved shirts and socks. Use mosquito nets wherever possible when travelling to parts of East Africa, Central America, and South America.
5. West Nile Fever
The West Nile Virus was first detected in 1937 in the West Nile in Uganda. It soon spread to Israel, Tunisia, and the United States. They reported over 2,200 cases in 2014 in the United States, with 100 reported deaths.
Most individuals (almost 80%) with West Nile Virus go undetected. We find West Nile Virus in many mosquito species.
What happens when you get West Nile Fever?
Only about 20% of individuals with West Nile Fever show symptoms. These include swollen lymph glands, rashes, vomiting, and body aches. Other symptoms include headaches, fever, and tiredness.
Only 1% of infected people experience serious effects. One of these includes encephalitis or meningitis. This could lead to death in about 10% of patients.
You Can Prevent Mosquito Bites with Mozzie Patches
In many parts of the world, the mosquito-borne parasites have developed resistance to several preventative medications. It is better to take as many precautions as possible. Whether you are planning a trip to Africa or the Caribbean, it is better to prevent bites than to cure diseases afterwards.
Find out how to prevent mosquito bites no matter where you go with our patches. This natural option will take care of bites for the whole family. Everyone from the age of 18 months and older can benefit.
