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Mosquito diseases may harm human and pet health
Everyone can agree that mosquitoes are pests that warrant a good swat. However, their level of annoyance pales in comparison to the severe danger they bring to both humans and their pets. Mosquitoes carry diseases that can cause painful viruses and diseases in both humans and animals and some that can result in death. Mosquitoes are more than an inconvenience; they are a force to be reckoned with.
The reason that mosquitos are so dangerous is that they have been proven responsible for carrying a number of very serious diseases. Chief among these diseases are:
The West Nile Virus
The West Nile Virus can infect humans, birds, mosquitoes, horses, bats, chipmunks, and several other mammals. The onset of the virus can cause the development of diseases in humans. "Neuroinvasive diseases" are the most severe type of diseases caused by West Nile. This type of disease attacks the nervous system. There are several diseases of this nature that are all caused by the bite of an infected mosquito.
West Nile encephalitis is inflammation of the brain, while West Nile meningitis is inflammation of the membrane around the brain and the spinal cord. West Nile fever causes fever, headache, fatigue, aches and pains, and rash. West Nile meningoencephalitis results in inflammation of the brain and the membrane surrounding it.
In 2003 all but five states in America had reported human disease cases caused by mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus. One of the five states not indicating human disease did report animal and mosquito infections.
St. Louis Encephalitis
St. Louis Encephalitis is also transmitted through an infected mosquito bite. This symptoms of this virus can include fever, headache, stiffness in the neck, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions (particularly in infants), and convulsive paralysis.
The incubation period of this virus is 5 to 15 days. The mortality rate for St. Louis encephalitis is 3% to 30%. There is no vaccine for the virus and no specific treatment. The occurrence of this virus is generally in the late summer and early fall but may be year-round in the southern region of the United States.
Dengue Fever
Dengue Fever and dengue viruses produce an array of clinical illness ranging from a viral syndrome to severe and fatal hemorrhagic disease. Symptoms usually begin with fever within five or six days after a person has been bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms include high fever (up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit), severe headache, retro-orbital (behind
the eye) pain, severe joint and muscle pain, nausea and vomiting, and rash. Three or four days after the onset of the fever, the rash may cover most of the body and a second rash may appear later in the disease. The most common time for Dengue fever is after the rainy season in tropical and sub tropical areas. Hawaii experienced a Dengue epidemic in 2001.
Because there is no specific treatment for Dengue Fever, the best method of safety against this and other viruses and diseases is prevention by staying away from mosquitos or trapping and destroying them whenever possible.
Malaria
Malaria is caused by an infected mosquito bite. Symptoms include shaking chills, head and muscle aches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Malaria can also cause enlargement of the spleen and liver, anemia, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). Death may occur from general weakness, anemia, or clogged cerebral tissue vessels. Infection of Plasmodium falciparum malaria may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death if not treated immediately.
It is estimated by the World Heath Organization that 300 to 500 million Malaria cases occur each year, 1 million resulting in death. Approximately 1,200 malaria cases are diagnosed in the United States each year. Most, but not all cases in the United States are travelers and immigrants returning from malaria-risk areas. Malaria is present in over 100 countries and territories. Almost 50% of the world’s population is at risk.
Heartworm Disease
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms living in the arteries of the lungs and in the right side of the heart of dogs, cats and other species of mammals, including wolves, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and (in rare instances) humans.
Heartworm disease is caused by mosquito bites which transfer microfilariae from one animal’s circulatory system to another. The heartworm migrates to the heart and out into the pulmonary arteries where it mates and reproduces. The adult heartworm several inches long and lives in the pulmonary arteries. The worm's presence generates a strong inflammatory response and a tendency for blood to inappropriately clot. The lining of the artery becomes damaged within days of the worm's arrival. If enough worms are present, the heart must work extra hard to pump blood through the plugged up arteries. The arteries expand and bend causing clotting and Aneurysms. Symptoms include coughing and inability to exercise, nosebleeds (due to abnormal clotting in the lung), heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, heart muscle thickening, arrhythmia (which may result in sudden death).
Preventing Moqsuito Bites
There are several preventative measures to be taken to protect yourself, your family and your pets from harmful mosquito bites. Drain all areas of standing water; mosquitoes only need water to complete their life cycle. Also use repellents containing Deet. Repellents are not recommended for pets due to their tendency to ingest them by licking themselves. Scrub and change the water in bird baths weekly. Empty and refill your pet's water bowl daily. Plug holes in trees with a plugging
compound or sand and mortar.
For best results, consider using a mosquito trap. The new generation of traps are an excellent way to eliminate or greatly reduce the mosquito threat on your property.
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