Mosquitoes are tiny little creatures that can be quite dangerous. They transmit disease like no one’s business, they are one of the deadliest animals in the world. The mosquito is responsible for millions of deaths a year. So you might ask yourself how do mosquitoes transmit disease? This article has the answers for you.
Climate change is changing temperatures all around the world, mosquitos are becoming more prevalent where there were usually few. Mosquitos prefer warmer weather, as the climate changes warm weather happens in more often. Maybe we should be concerned.
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How do mosquitoes transmit disease?
The mosquito transmits disease by “biting you” this bite is not really a bite because they don’t have teeth. They rather have a long straw-like mouth that can puncture the skin and reach your bloodstream. The mouth then sucks the blood. When the skin is pierced the mosquito will release saliva into the skin, this will help avoid the blood from clotting and will ensure that the blood flows freely. This saliva also prevents the host from feeling anything
The mosquitoes that bite humans are the female mosquitoes. They feed on blood because they need the protein in it to develop the eggs. The male mosquitoes feed on nectar from plants. The mosquitoes are able to transmit disease as they feed. Diseases are transferred through the saliva that is sent into your blood when the mosquito bites you.
Mosquitoes are hosts to diseases. They don’t suffer from the diseases that they carry, they usually transfer it from one large animal to another. If you are an infected person and the mosquito bites you then the virus won’t infect the mosquito. They can then give that virus to another animal without being affected themselves.
What diseases can you get from mosquitoes?
Not all mosquitoes will be able to carry and give the same diseases. Some mosquitoes can only carry certain ideas. These are the disease mosquitoes can give people:
Dengue fever:
This disease is spread by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, species. Dengue fever is a very dangers disease and mosquitoes infect 4000 million per year. The disease infects people in Southeast Asia, Africa and the western hemisphere.
Zika:
This virus has been in the news because of the effects it has on newborn babies. The disease causes deformities in newborn babies. The mosquitos that transfer this disease usually bite during the day time when humans are out unlike other mosquitoes. The disease has spread to 24 counties including North America.
West Nile virus:
This disease can be spread across species, it is carried form bird species to humans. You’ll find the majority of this disease in Europe and Africa, a couple of outbreaks of this virus have been recorded in North America.
Malaria:
This is a well know and well-documented virus. It destroys blood cells making the person weak. Malaria is most prevalent in Africa and mainly in the southern parts of the Sahara desert.
How to keep mosquitoes from biting you?
If you find yourself in or live in an area where mosquitos are rife then there are something actions that you can take to avoid or at least minimise getting bitten:
- Wear long clothes that are loose-fitting to protect yourself, they should be loose-fitting because mosquitos can bite through tight clothing including jeans.
- Use mosquito repellent to ward the mosquitoes away.
- Drain open bodies of water, this will include pools, ponds, puddles and any body of water where mosquitoes can breed around your home. They need water to reproduce
- Use screens in and around your home to protect it from mosquitoes
- If you can you can, contact a professional who will help get rid of mosquitoes on your property
- These articles explain why mosquitoes are attracted to you and how they find you in the dark.
How to make mosquito bites go away faster?
You need to treat the bite properly for it to go away faster. This will include:
- Cleaning the area, you can use normal soap and warm water for the infected area.
- If the swelling is very bad you can place an ice pack on it which will soothe it
- If you have any available you can use an antihistamine, this will counteract the mosquito saliva in your body
- Aloe vera is a great natural way to deal with the pain, swelling and itching. Apply some on the bite.
- Do not scratch, this will only make the situation worse and inflame the skin at the site of the bite, it can also result in a puncture of the skin which can result in an infection
Serious reaction
A normal reaction to the mosquito saliva will be swelling of the area, it can be red in colour and can last a couple of days. If the bite results in an allergic reaction on the skin that can’t be taken down by an antihistamine and is still there after a few days then you should go see a doctor.
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