MOSQUITOES
MOSQUITO BORNE DISEASES
Some people consider mosquitoes “the most dangerous animals in the world.” It’s hard to imagine. It is true that mosquitoes do not enjoy a good reputation. They can ruin our afternoon in the garden or a barbecue. Or wake up in the middle of the night. They are annoying. This is beyond doubt, but what makes them so dangerous?
Its danger lies in the diseases it can transmit. Mosquitoes are potential transmitters of diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever and Zika, which affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide each year. It is estimated that 390 million people are infected with the dengue virus each year. In 2018, it was estimated that there were 228 million cases of malaria. The World Health Organization estimates that more than half of the world’s population is at risk of contracting mosquito-borne diseases. This ability to transmit viruses and other pathogens through their bites is what makes them dangerous, making their study, surveillance and control necessary.
