What Diseases Do Mosquitoes Spread?
Mosquitoes are infamous for spreading diseases across the world. Each year, 700,000 deaths are reported to be caused by vector-borne diseases such as the ones that mosquitoes pass on. These diseases primarily plague tropical and subtropical regions but are a threat worldwide. The most common diseases distributed by mosquitoes are:
- Malaria
- Dengue
- Yellow fever
- Zika virus
- West Nile virus
- Chagas disease
- Schistosomiasis
- Rift Valley fever
Which Kinds of Mosquitoes Can Transmit Disease?
The three species of mosquitoes that spread diseases to humans are Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles mosquitoes. Within these species, there are many slightly variant subspecies that are all also capable of disease transmission. Thankfully, many mosquitoes in our area are incapable of spreading diseases and are primarily just an annoyance. We have seen cases of Aedes mosquitoes here in Louisiana, though.
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What Diseases Can Mosquitoes Carry in Louisiana?
There are over 200 known types of mosquitoes in the United States. Only 12 of these kinds are capable of spreading diseases. The diseases known to exist in the United States include Dengue, chikungunya, Zika virus, and Malaria; outbreaks of these diseases happened in Louisiana, Texas, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the US Virgin Islands. It is most often that we see cases of Malaria in the United States in people that recently traveled to tropical regions. Most types of mosquitoes we encounter here won’t get us sick.
Signs that You Might Have a Mosquito-Borne Disease
Most mosquito bites will only result in itchy bumps that last for a few days. So what symptoms might indicate that you’ve contracted a serious disease from a mosquito bite? Some symptoms of vector-borne diseases are :
- Stiff neck
- Nausea or vomiting
- Muscle tremors or seizures
- Sudden high fever
- Severe headaches
- Rash
- Confusion
If you have any of these symptoms and believe that they are related to a recent mosquito bite, let a medical health professional know.