World Mosquito Day is observed annually on 20 August which marks the historic discovery by Sir Ronald Ross a British doctor in 1897. He discovered that the female mosquitoes transmit malaria to humans i.e. female anopheles mosquitoes were responsible for transmitting the malaria parasite. It is a life threatening disease.
Various Mosquito-borne diseases
1. Malaria: is caused by a parasite that is transmitted by an Anopheles mosquito. It is prevalent in tropical or sub-tropical climates. Some of the best ways to prevent malaria include insecticide treated mosquito nets, indoor spraying with insecticides and anti malarial drugs. Quinine is a medicine used to treat malaria.
2. Dengue: is transmitted by the Asian tiger mosquito i.e. Aedes Albopictus and Aedes Aegypti Its infection causes flu-like illness to hemorrhagic fever. Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates and mostly in urban areas.
3. Yellow Fever: is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. It is prevalent in Africa and parts of South America. It produces symptoms similar to malaria but also includes nausea, vomiting and jaundice.
4. Encephalitis: is caused by viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes like the Aedes or Culiseta mosquitoes. The symptoms may include high fever, stiff neck, headache, confusion, and lethargy / sleepiness.
5. Zika: This disease is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquito which bites during the day. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms may last for many days. During pregnancy it can cause serious birth defect microcephaly and other congenital malformations, known as congenital zika syndrome.
6. Chikungunya: It is also transmitted through Aedes Aegypti and Aedes Albopictus mosquitoes which also causes dengue. Symptoms include headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, and muscle pain. Acute infection
7. West Nile Virus: Various species have been known to carry West Nile, but the primary one is Culex Pipiens. Most healthy people do not even know they have been infected, but in this disease some flu-like symptoms occur and in rare cases, permanent neurological damage or death.
Several precautions have been taken from insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), mosquito repellents like the Goodknight Activ + System and indoor residual spraying (IRS) to prevent themselves from mosquito-borne diseases.
