Summer is finally upon us. It is finally time to have an outdoor picnic with family and friends. Unfortunately, this perfect outdoor fun can be ruined when mosquitoes start to invade the party. These little pests deliver painless bites, but they leave itchy and painful welts behind. These nasty pests can bite children, teens, and adults.
Mosquitoes thrive in humid and damp areas; thus, murky and stagnant waters are their favorite breeding grounds. If you or any of your family members is exposed to such environments, you will have a higher risk of getting bitten by these pests. Mosquitoes do not only leave painful and itchy welts, but they can also cause life threatening health conditions. They can carry a myriad of fatal diseases, such as malaria, dengue, and yellow fever.
Malaria
This is a potentially fatal mosquito-borne disease caused by the parasites known as plasmodia. These parasites are passed on to people through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. The Anopheles mosquito can only infect an individual with Malaria if it has already bitten an infected person.
Once the plasmodia parasite enters the bloodstream, they will move to the liver where they will reproduce. Some parasites will stay in the liver while some will flow into the bloodstream. Once the parasite is in the human blood, it will kill red blood cells, which are responsible for carrying oxygen to the body tissues. The malaria symptoms will start to manifest about 8-30 days after getting bitten by an infected mosquito. The individual might suffer from the following symptoms every two to three days:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Chills
- Headache
- Delirium
- Shortness of breath
- Anemia
Yellow Fever
This mosquito-borne disease is more widespread around South America and Africa. Thankfully, this disease has an available vaccine; thus, travelers and people who live in these regions can get vaccinated to avoid suffering from such disease. Unfortunately, in areas where the vaccine is unavailable, the mosquitoes can transmit the yellow fever disease from one person to another.
This is a viral infection transmitted through mosquito bites. This disease can damage the body organs, including the heart, kidney, liver, and digestive tract. The first few symptoms that the patient might manifest include:
- High Fever
- Rapid pulse
- Vomiting, nausea, headache
- Muscle cramps, bloodshot eyes, facial flushing
- Constipation, reduce urine
These symptoms might last for 2-5 days. If this disease is not immediately treated, the patient might suffer from more severe symptoms:
- Inflamed liver and kidney
- Yellow eyes and skin
- Black vomit or vomit with blood
- High Fever
- Renal damage
Dengue Fever
This disease is rare in the country; however, in tropical regions, such as South and Central America, Southeast Asia, and Middle East, Dengue is widespread. This disease is more common in urban areas during rainy season when mosquitoes breed heavily in stagnant waters. The complication of this disease is one of the leading causes of serious ailments and death in children.
The mosquitoes pick up this virus when they bite an infected person. The mosquito will carry the virus into their blood and transmit it to humans when they bite again. Once the virus enters the bloodstream of the victim, it will spread through the entire body. The symptoms of dengue will start to manifest 8-10 days after getting bitten. The symptoms include:
- High fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Body aches
- Headache
- Sever joint pains
- Rashes
- Dengue hemorrhagic fever
- Bleeding
- Very low blood pressure
These are just three of the widespread mosquito-borne diseases. All these diseases can potentially lead to life-threatening health conditions if it is not treated immediately. For this reason, it is best to avoid mosquito-infested areas and to make sure that your home environment is free from mosquitoes.
As an added tip, you and your family must apply insect repellent to avoid getting bitten by these nasty pests. You must also get rid of any junk, empty bottles, cans, unused tires, or other items that can harbor stagnant water. Remember that protection and prevention is essential since mosquitoes can spread diseases. Take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your family to ensure a happier and safer outdoor time.
Image source: ash.”Malarial Dreams”. Jan 28, 2006. Online Image. EveryStockPhoto. April 22, 2013
About the author: Kris Bennette, is a Registered Nurse and a writer for health and wellness websites. She also is also a freelance writer at http://www.admiralpest.com/pest-control-services/commercial-pest-control/.
