Mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting several diseases.
Insect-borne illness poses a serious threat to human health and is a major cause of disease-related death around the world. Many common insects carry parasitic diseases that can be directly passed to humans or pets, and there are few immunizations in place to prevent infection. Limiting contact with disease-carrying insects is the key to avoiding potentially life-threatening illness, whether at home or abroad.
Mosquito
During the past 170 million years, mosquitoes (Anopheles) have evolved in nearly every part of the globe. There are more than 175 species of mosquito in the United States, according to Web MD, each having the potential to deliver harmful diseases and parasites to humans. Mosquitoes most famously carry malaria, which causes more than 3 million deaths annually around the world, although cases in the United States are rare. In addition to malaria, mosquitoes carry dengue fever, encephalitis, West Nile virus and yellow fever. West Nile virus has become a serious health concern in the United States in recent years, afflicting horses and humans with a flu-like illness and accompanying rash.
Ticks
Ticks are common vectors for Lyme disease, typhus and tick-borne encephalitis. Deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are tiny insects, barely larger than a speck of black pepper. Once engorged with blood, deer ticks become more easily visible. Deer ticks are the key species in the transmission of Lyme disease, which they transmit primarily in late spring and early summer. Lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum), typically found in the southeastern United States, are named for a distinctive pale marking on their back. They are known carriers of Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis, although cases of the latter are rare.
Tsetse Fly
Tsetse flies (Glossina) are large biting flies found throughout northern and sub-Saharan Africa. Although they strongly resemble the common housefly, they are identifiable by their large proboscis and overlapping wings. They are the key vector for human sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis), which is a parasitic disease characterized by itching, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, neurological symptoms and progressive death. Tsetse flies pose a major risk for people living in Africa, infecting approximately 70,000 people annually, according to the World Health Organization.
Sand Fly
Sand flies (Phlebotomus) are found throughout the world, congregating near bodies of salt and fresh water. They are small flying insects that are known colloquially as "no-see-ums." They carry the disease leishmaniasis, which is a progressive infection of the skin or internal organs. There are approximately 1.5 million new cases of cutaneous (occurring on the skin) and 500,000 cases of visceral (internal organ) leishmaniasis diagnosed each year around the world, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It is difficult to prevent sand fly bites due to their large numbers, but common insect repellent is effective in reducing the likelihood of bites.
Tags: United States, around world, Lyme disease, although cases, Deer ticks