Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Prevention Tips
by Premier Hospitals | July 18, 2019 |
Mosquitoes are food for Fish, birds, damselflies, spiders, bats, frogs, reptiles, and aquatic organisms. But, for humans, mosquitoes are good for nothing. They irritate and are also the carriers of infectious diseases such as Malaria, Zika virus, and many more.
Why Is Mosquito Not A Friend To Human?
Mosquitoes are the deadly creatures, and their ability to carry diseases resulting in millions of deaths every year. They transmit several diseases, such as:
Malaria: Malaria is an ancient disease transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes. This illness has reported more than 500-700 million deaths each year. It affects the red blood cells present in the human body and wrecks them.
Symptoms of Malaria:
The symptoms of malaria include:
- High body temperature
- Shiver
- Sweating
- Headache
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
The symptoms of Chikungunya include:
- The sudden appearance of fever
- Muscle pains
- Headache
- Rash
The symptoms of dengue Include:
- High body temperature
- Severe headache
- Severe pains behind the eyes
- Spots under the skin
- Joint and muscle pains
- Rashes
- Nose or gum bleeding
The symptoms of yellow fever Include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle pains especially in the back and knees
- Eye and face or tongue redness
- Jaundice
- Nose, mouth, and eye bleeding
- Heartbeat irregularity
- Liver and kidney failure
- Cerebral disorders
The symptoms of  Zika Virus include:
- A Rash
- Itching all over the body
- High temperature
- Headache
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Conjunctivitis (red eyes)
- Lower back pain
Image credit: Rentokil
A few other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes include:
- West Nile virus
- Saint Louis encephalitis virus
- Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus
- Everglades virus
- Highlands J virus
- La Crosse Encephalitis
- Ilheus virus
- Filariasis
- Rift Valley fever
- Wuchereria bancrofti
- Japanese encephalitis
- Murray Valley encephalitis
Mosquitoes carry diseases. The preventive measures help you to avoid mosquitoes and the diseases they carry:
- Repair all the outdoor screens and maintain them in good condition
- Use windows with screens
- Sleep under a mosquito net
- Pour out any standing water
- Remove water from coolers and small containers
- Use mosquito repellents
- Wear full sleeved clothes
- Repair cracks and gaps in your septic tank
- Cover open pipes or vents with thin wire mesh
- Apply mosquito spray in dark spaces