What Diseases Do Mosquitoes Carry?

Mosquitoes are summer and springtime’s bane. One aspect that is frequently overlooked when discussing these pests is the danger that can be contained within a bite. Mosquitoes are the most dangerous arthropods to human health. There are approximately 100 mosquito-borne diseases that affect humans worldwide. Here we are giving an answer to the question, “What Diseases Do Mosquitoes Carry?”

What are the Diseases Caused by Mosquitoes?

The following are some of the most common diseases caused by mosquitos.

• Chikungunya
• Dengue
• Malaria
• West Nile Fever
• Zika Virus
• Encephalitis

Chikungunya

Chikungunya is one of the dangerous mosquito borne-diseases. It is thought to have originated in Tanzania. The term “chikungunya” is derived from a word in the Kimakonde language that means “to become contorted,” and refers to the hunched appearance of people suffering from joint pain. It is found primarily in tropical and semi-tropical areas of the world. Travelers to infected areas of the world, on the other hand, can become infected when bitten by infected mosquitoes.

Symptoms of Chikungunya

• High Fever
• Severe pain in Joints
• Pain in Muscles
• Giddiness and Headache
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Rashes on the body

Dengue

Dengue is another mosquito-borne viral disease that has spread rapidly across the globe in recent years, affecting 40 percent of the world’s population (between 50 and 100 million people worldwide) in areas where Dengue can be contracted. It has four viral types, but the most severe form of this disease is Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF). If DHF is not treated promptly and properly, it can lead to death, especially in children. It causes a wide range of diseases. This can range from people who are unaware they are infected to people who have more severe flu-like symptoms.

Symptoms of Dengue

• Fever
• Severe headache
• Pain behind the eyes
• Muscle and joint discomfort
• Rashes

Malaria

The protozoan parasite plasmodium causes malaria. Malaria kills more than 12 million people each year, according to epidemiologists. It primarily affects tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and the majority of those who die are children. Malaria is often fatal to young children and pregnant women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Children usually do not have the necessary immunities to fight the disease, and pregnant women frequently have weakened immune systems as well as poor overall health.

Symptoms of Malaria

• Fever Paroxysms
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Fatigue and drowsiness
• Sweating or chilling
• Vomiting and nausea
• Muscle and stomach discomfort
• Anemia of severe severity

West Nile Fever

West Nile Fever is another mosquito-borne disease caused by the West Nile Virus that was first identified in the United States in 1999 in New York. Since then, the West Nile Virus has spread to Canada and Mexico. Human infection is most commonly transmitted through mosquito bites. Mosquitoes become infected after feeding on infected birds that serve as hosts for the virus.

Symptoms of West Nile Fever

• Headache
• Fever
• Ache in the body
• Swollen lymph glands 
• Mild rashes

Zika Virus

The Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that was discovered in monkeys in Uganda in 1947. It was later discovered in humans in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania in 1952.

Zika virus outbreaks have been reported in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific. From the 1960s to the 1980s, rare sporadic cases of human infections were discovered in Africa and Asia, usually accompanied by mild illness.

Symptoms of Zika Virus

• Pinkish eyes
• Fever
• Headache
• Rashes on the skin 
• Joint and muscle Discomfort
• Fatigue

Encephalitis

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a virus spread by mosquitos that can be found throughout the Western Hemisphere. The first human case of EEEV infection (eastern equine encephalitis; EEE) occurred in Massachusetts in 1938, but EEE was first identified in horses over a century ago.

Western equine encephalitis (WEE) is caused by an Alphavirus in the Togaviridae family. In 1930, the virus was discovered in a horse in California. Since the 1930s, sporadic outbreaks have been reported in Canada. The WEE virus has been reported in south-central Canada from Lake Superior to the Rocky Mountains, but it has also been reported in British Columbia. Human and horse disease has been most common in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Symptoms of Encephalitis

• Severe Fever
• Vomining
• Headache
• Nausea
• Coma 
• Seizures
• Stiff neck consternation 
• Weakness in body
• Disorders of movement
• Mental or behavioral shifts
• Paralysis (being unable to move)
• Possible permanent nerve and brain damage

St. Louis Encephalitis

Saint Louis Encephalitis is caused by a flavivirus spread by mosquitoes. This disease is primarily found in the United States, including Hawaii. Cases have been reported from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean on an irregular basis.

Symptoms of St. Louis Encephalitis

• Headache
• high fever
• Stiffness in Neck
• Stupor
• Disorientation
• Coma
• Tremors
• Occasional Convulsions
• Spastic Paralysis

Guest Blogging Pro tries to give ample information in our every blog with lots of research behind the scene. Here in this blog we have explained “What diseases do mosquitoes carry?”, what are symptoms of these mosquitoes borne diseases and how aware one should be about these diseases. If you liked the post then please comment below and give your feedback.