Global Warming & Mosquitoes
Global warming likely to spread infectious diseases
Geography and weather conditions are known to affect mosquito activity, and health experts and entomologists worldwide have warned of the effect global warming and climate change will have on the increase and spread of mosquito populations, and mosquito-borne diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports between 350-500 million cases of malaria infection causing, up to 3 million deaths, most of them children under 5, every year. Malaria is even returning to areas of the world from which it had been eradicated and is spreading to new areas such as Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Notable rises in other mosquito borne diseases like Dengue fever, Chikungunya fever and West Nile Virus have been recorded in Italy, Australia and the U.S. While eradicating all the mosquitoes in the world sounds like a good idea, it will never realistically happen.
It may sound daunting, but private individuals can make a difference in their own back yards with a DIY approach to mosquito control. Only female mosquitoes bite, and a single female mosquito can lay thousands of eggs during her life time. So daily trapping during the season will interrupt breeding cycles, dramatically reducing mosquito populations.
While there is no one item or solution, a proactive approach and combination of techniques, including mosquito traps, will ultimately be the best way to help control mosquitoes, and protect ourselves from these invasive, disease-carrying pests.
GLOBAL BULLETIN BOARD
In the northern hemisphere when temperatures drop with the onset of winter and the first frost appears, mosquito season is officially over. However for the southern hemisphere ’swatting season’ is just beginning.
AUSTRALIA:
Mosquitoes May Bring Dengue To Cities
A mosquito species located on Australia’s mainland for the first time, has the potential to spread the dangerous dengue fever virus to major population centres, experts warn. Dengue causes high fevers, joint and muscle pain, nausea and a rash. In severe cases, it causes internal bleeding and can lead to death. The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) says the incidence of dengue has grown dramatically in recent decades. Some 2.5 billion people, or two-fifths of the world’s population, are now at risk from dengue, according to WHO, which estimates there may be 50 million dengue infections worldwide every year.
Queensland Health entomologist Professor Scott Ritchie said the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) could survive in more temperate climates than the other dengue-spreading mosquito, Aedes aegytpi, which is endemic to northern parts of Australia.
“It could potentially establish in Brisbane and Sydney and maybe even Melbourne,” Professor Ritchie told AAP. “This mosquito has a reputation for invasion of new areas. It’s all through the southern quarter of the US, it’s throughout most of south America, it’s gotten into southern Europe, so we are sort of the last guy standing with this mosquito.”
In addition to dengue, the Asian tiger mosquito has been associated with the potentially fatal chikungunya fever. Source
U.S.A.
Chikungunya Is Coming….
A disease spread by mosquitoes – the African and Asian strains of Chikungunya are associated with the Aedes aegypti mosquito: the same mosquito that transmits dengue fever and yellow fever. The signs of illness closely resemble that of dengue fever, which is widespread in South America. Symptoms can include headache, nausea, vomiting, joint pain, and muscle pain.
The Continental United States, is relatively free of the A. aegypti mosquito, due in large part to the introduction of the Asian Tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), which out competed A. aegypti. The few cases of Chikungunya seen in the US are returning travelers.There have been reported outbreaks on the Reunion Islands, and the French health Ministry is currently developing a vacine. However, the only known vaccine was developed at USAMRIID, as Chikungunya is a potential threat to US troops. Source
