What diseases do mosquitoes carry in our latitudes and beyond? Myths and really dangerous bites

Mosquitoes cause discomfort with an annoying buzzing and painful, itchy bites. But this is not the only problem. Much worse is that bloodsuckers, due to their physiology, habitat and other environmental factors, can be carriers of dangerous infections. Many of them are deadly and can cause death.

Despite the general danger of insect bites, there are many myths about the possibility of transmitting a particular disease.
Let's try to figure out where the truth is and where there is fiction and false fears inspired by insufficient awareness. Does a lamp help against mosquitoes?
Does a lamp help against mosquitoes?

Review of popular models, rating, operating principle. Is it worth taking?

netkomaram.ru

Open ›

Malaria

This is one of the most popular diseases that is closely associated with mosquitoes. It poses an immediate threat to human life. A person becomes infected with malaria through the bite of an infected insect of the genus Anopheles. The disease itself is caused by Plasmodium parasites - and we are not talking about the entire genus, but only about 5 species.

Malaria manifests itself with elevated body temperature, headache and chills. Moreover, such symptoms appear quite quickly - a couple of weeks after the bite, or even earlier. However, experts say that the incubation period can stretch for several months.

Due to the rather subtle nature of the first symptoms, diagnosis is difficult. And here is the problem, since it is recommended to start therapy to achieve an effect no later than within the first 24 hours of infection. Otherwise, a serious illness may develop.

"Infernal machines" and miracle fish. How bloodsuckers were destroyed in the USSR Read more

What diseases do mosquitoes not carry?

There are at least two myths:

1. Insects carry AIDS. The answer to the question whether a mosquito can transmit HIV infection is negative. The pathogen is extremely unstable and dies outside the human body faster than the insect can transmit it.
2. Mosquitoes carry coronavirus. This issue has been little studied. But it is already known that outside the body of the final carrier, the coronavirus quickly dies. Therefore the probability is extremely low.

At the same time, it’s still too early to relax. Insects transmit many other dangerous diseases.

Yellow fever

Another problem that people may face after encountering mosquitoes is yellow fever. It is no less dangerous than malaria. Found in the tropics. In Russia, if diagnosed, it is only as imported cases.

The first symptoms of this problem may appear 3-4 days after infection. At the first stage, signs such as:

• increase in body temperature to high values;
• pain in muscles and head;
• chills;
• problems with appetite;
• nausea and vomiting.

It should be understood that after 3-4 days a person’s condition can return to normal. If the disease goes into the toxic stage, then everything starts all over again - the temperature rises, jaundice and bleeding appear. During the toxic phase of the disease, about half of the sick die literally within a couple of weeks.

There is no specific therapy for this disease, but there is a vaccine that is recommended for travelers before visiting exotic countries.

What diseases do mosquitoes carry?

Mosquitoes are capable of transmitting at least 9 infectious diseases. At the same time, only 4 (5) common pathological processes can be found in Russia, Ukraine and Europe. Next we will talk about diseases that are endemic (typical) and not endemic for the middle zone.

Meningitis

Acute inflammation of the meninges. It is provoked by several pathogens, including meningococci, pneumococci, Coxsackie viruses and more. The most common provocateurs of the pathological process are the first two infectious agents.

Transmission of infection occurs in several ways. Including insect bites (according to various estimates, the probability of such an outcome is not too high, but it does exist, approximately 5%).

It is far from certain that an infected person will get meningitis. It all depends on the strength of the immune system.

Go to website

The pathological process can be recognized by its characteristic symptoms. The incubation period lasts up to 2 weeks. There are also fulminant forms that develop within a few hours after the bite. But only with weakened immunity.

The clinical picture begins with a headache. It is intense and cannot be removed with standard medications from a home medicine cabinet. Next comes nausea and vomiting. Symptoms of general intoxication of the body develop: headaches, weakness, drowsiness. With further progression of the disease, convulsions, pathological reflexes, strabismus, neurological deficit manifestations (fog in the head, impaired consciousness, psychomotor agitation), and cardiac dysfunction develop.

Treatment is strictly inpatient. Medicines of the group of antibiotics, penicillins or semi-synthetic drugs are used. Sulfonamides are used. Full recovery is observed after a few weeks or a little more.

Mosquito bites are a possible, but not the main reason for the transmission of dangerous pathogens that provoke meningitis.

Japanese mosquito encephalitis

As the name suggests, it is carried by blood-sucking insects. This vector-borne infection was first discovered in Japan. But the name does not mean that other regions of the planet cannot be a natural breeding ground for pathological agents.

The provocateur is a special type of arbovirus. Several strains of infection are known. The disease is accompanied by cyclical outbreaks in late summer and early autumn. It is most common in Asia, and is also found in the Russian Far East, in the Siberian region.

The disease debuts gradually and is severe with brain damage. Inflammation of its substance. The incubation period lasts up to 2.5 weeks. At this time, the infection penetrates the blood-brain barrier and begins to multiply. The clinic includes several symptoms:

• headache;
• weakness, signs of general intoxication;
• high body temperature. at the peak it can reach 40.5-41 degrees;
• severe chills;
• convulsions: myoclonic, other types;
• disorders of consciousness, up to coma in severe cases;
• paresis of the facial and oculomotor nerves;
• hyperkinesis. involuntary similar movements of the limbs or head.

Mosquitoes carry a serious disease, a neuroinfection. Therefore, the treatment is strictly inpatient. Hospitalization is carried out in the first hours. Within a week, specific immunoglobulins are infused to weaken the development of the pathological process. Symptomatic therapy is carried out using diuretics, osmotic diuretics, painkillers, antibiotics, antivirals, and immunostimulants to prevent deadly complications.

The disease from the bite of an infected mosquito does not always develop; it all depends on the intensity of the immune response, the strength of the defenses, the amount of the virus, its strain, and the state of health at the time of the attack. However, there is always a possibility. Especially in endemic regions.

Malaria

A severe infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes. The second name is swamp fever. Endemic regions are Australia, South America, Asia, and Africa. However, due to the active spread of carriers of the pathological process, Anopheles mosquitoes (a special type of bloodsuckers), cases of imported infection are becoming more frequent.

Disturbance due to geographical reasons and environmental changes occurs throughout Europe and Russia. The disorder is caused by malarial plasmodia. Small parasitic organisms. They affect the circulatory system and human red blood cells. There are 4 known types of parasites.

The incubation period after a mosquito bite lasts about 2-5 weeks. After which anemic, hepatolienal and febrile syndromes develop. Among the symptoms:

• signs of general intoxication of the body - headaches, weakness, drowsiness;
• increased sweating;
• increase in body temperature to 38-40 degrees.

The fever occurs in fits and starts. In the morning there is, in the evening there is no. And so on in a circle every few days. Depends on the form of the disease. Such swings slow down the diagnostic process.

In a week or less, symptoms of anemia develop. The person becomes pale, experiences constant weakness and drowsiness. Appetite increases, the desire to eat inedible things arises. Brittle hair, nails, and red eyes are observed.

After another week or two, the liver and spleen enlarge. A person experiences pain in the left and right sides of the abdomen. Without treatment, death from massive bleeding or shock is possible.

Treatment is carried out in an infectious diseases hospital. Drugs used:

• infusion solutions;
• quinine;
• chloroquine, synthetic agents.

The goal is to prevent complications and remove plasmodium from the body.

In addition to malaria itself, the diseases spread by the malaria mosquito are identical to those mentioned above and below. The differences are insignificant.

Tularemia

What diseases mosquitoes carry depends on the endemicity of a particular region. For example, in the European part of Russia, Ukraine and Western Siberia, mosquitoes transport a highly contagious bacterial infection. Tularemia. It is provoked by a tularemia gram-negative rod. It is particularly dangerous.

The pathological process begins 3-7 days from the moment of infection. Symptoms include:

• headache;
• signs of general intoxication;
• hyperemia (redness) of the skin and mucous membranes of the body;
• periodic increase in temperature to 38-40 degrees and even higher;
• enlarged liver and spleen.

The hallmark of mosquito-borne tularemia is lymphadenitis. Purulent inflammation of the lymph nodes. They increase in size, reaching the volume of a chicken egg or slightly less. A few days later they open up. A large wound surface remains in place. And this happens throughout the body. Tularemia rash can lead to secondary infection.

There are pulmonary forms, which are very often fatal.

Treatment is in a hospital. Combinations of antibiotics are used, and infusion, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic drugs are also administered.

This is the answer to the question of what diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes in Russia. However, when traveling outside the Russian Federation, Ukraine or Belarus, to trophic and other hot zones, you can encounter several more dangerous infections. They are also transmitted by mosquitoes.

Zika fever

The causative agent is an RNA virus, the transmission route is mainly transmissible. With a bite.

The disease occurs with minimal or no symptoms. Possible signs include:

• headache;
• manifestations of general intoxication: weakness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting;
• increased body temperature;
• development of a rash;
• conjunctivitis - inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye, sclera.

The clinical picture resembles that of the flu.

The main danger is infection of a pregnant woman, since the Zika virus provokes fetal defects: microcephaly, acephaly and others. Including deadly ones.

Treatment is symptomatic. Infusion therapy is administered and bed rest is prescribed. No specific measures have been developed yet.

Yellow fever

Also called amaryllosis. It is caused by mosquitoes and the way the disease spreads is transmissible.

Found in America and Africa. There are known cases in Russia when tourists returned from their vacation. The clinical picture is specific. Symptoms include:

• increase in body temperature to 40 degrees and above;
• signs of general intoxication;
• headache;
• liver enlargement;
• yellowness of the skin, sclera of the eyes, as with hepatitis;
• change in the color of urine and stool;
• bleeding. bleeding disorders.

Treatment is strictly in the infectious diseases department of the hospital.

Plasma transfusion, vitamin therapy, and administration of immunoglobulins are indicated. The infection is especially dangerous, so patients are isolated separately.

Chikungunya

A special fever that is transmitted by mosquitoes through a bite. It is found in Africa, Asia (Vietnam, Laos, etc.), as well as in India. It is developing rapidly. The provocateur is an arbovirus.

Symptoms of the pathological process:

• rapid rise in temperature. Up to 39 and above;
• very severe arthralgias. Joint pain;
• change in shape, volume of small and large joints, swelling, visible inflammation;
• disturbance of any motor activity in the affected parts of the body.

The typical symptom is multiple arthritis, an inflammation of the joints that moves throughout the body.

Treatment is inpatient. Therapy is symptomatic. Immunomodulators, anti-inflammatory, antihistamines, and vascular strengtheners are prescribed.

West Nile fever

It is found in the territories of Israel, Egypt, Africa, also Ukraine, and the southern regions of Russia. It is developing rapidly. Often has an asymptomatic course. Accompanied by a slight increase in temperature. With a weakened immune system, there is a high probability of meningoencephalitis - inflammation of the brain and its membranes.

The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes. The causative agent is flavivirus.

Treatment in a hospital setting. Specific measures have not been developed. They use drugs from the group of monoclonal bodies, alpha-interferon, antipyretics, and painkillers. Correction is mainly symptomatic.

Dengue

Carried by mosquitoes. You can become infected in tropical and subtropical regions.

The clinical picture is flu-like. With a hemorrhagic component (bleeding, petechial rash, formation of multiple hematomas, hemorrhages in organs and joints, brain).

The condition is extremely dangerous. Requires urgent hospitalization. There is no effective etiotropic treatment. Antipyretic and antihistamine drugs are used. Infusion solutions are poured.

What mosquitoes can infect depends on the region, time of year, and health status. However, the danger is great. Even on the territory of Russia, Ukraine, middle zone countries, and the European part of the continent.

Mosquito traps in the apartment and on the street - how to get rid of insects for a long time? This topic can be found by following this link.

Zika fever

Another infection that mosquitoes threaten humans with is Zika fever. Its distributors are insects of the genus Aedas, which bite during the daytime.

Just as with yellow fever, the symptoms of the disease are not particularly pronounced and can last from a couple of days to a week. Signs of infection look like this:

• general malaise;
• increased body temperature;
• rash;
• phenomena of conjunctivitis;
• pain in the muscles and joints.

At the same time, as noted by the WHO, out of five adults infected with this infection, four do not have any serious ailments.

One of the complications of Zika fever is the appearance of Guillain-Barré syndrome. It is characterized by partial paralysis of the lower extremities, spreading to the arms, and within a few hours. Afterwards, it can completely spread to the muscles of the body, leading, among other things, to problems with the respiratory system, as a result of which a person can simply suffocate. It also happens that paralysis lasts for life.

How to defeat a mosquito? Analysis of popular means Read more

Preventing mosquito-borne infections

Vaccination can protect against tularemia, yellow fever, dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis.

In addition, it is important to try to reduce the population of blood-sucking mosquitoes by limiting their breeding opportunities. For example, at the dacha, make sure that there are no open containers of water on the territory, and in residential buildings, drain the basements.

The third important element of prevention is to install screens on windows, as well as use repellents and other personal protective equipment.

Dirofilariasis

Another parasitic problem that mosquitoes can “reward” humans is called dirofilariasis. Mosquitoes of such genera as Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles are responsible for it.

This name hides tissue helminthiasis. That is, the problem develops in the subcutaneous tissue - the location does not matter, the problem can arise on any part of the body, as well as on the mucous membranes and conjunctiva. The pathology is characterized by a slow course and long development.

The onset of the disease can be indicated by a lump that appears on the skin - a growing larva is hidden under it. It is often attributed to a cyst or some other neoplasm. At the same time, the larvae can migrate, for example, moving 30 cm per day. And the parasitic nature of the disease itself is discovered during surgery.

As the department notes, there is no particular pain during infection - you can only feel as if something is crawling right under the skin.

Mosquitoes and diseases: mechanism of transmission from mosquito to human.

HIV, hepatitis and other diseases cannot develop in the body of the mosquito itself. There are two main reasons for this:

1) Most human viruses die quite easily. They need a breeding environment. For example, hepatitis multiplies well in the liver, but in the blood it survives for a very limited time. 2) The mosquito does not inject anything into the victim’s body except saliva. But mosquito saliva itself is dangerous as a distributor of many viruses, although many of them, such as HIV and hepatitis, do not survive in it.

Dengue disease

WHO is also adding Dengue to the list of mosquito-borne diseases. This is an infection caused by a virus of the same name. Moreover, there are 4 serotypes, which means that you can become infected four times. There is such an option as severe dengue, leading to complications and death. Dengue can cause a flu-like illness. There is no special therapy. But immunity after an illness is called lifelong.

The virus is transmitted by mosquitoes of the Aedes and Ae.albopictus species (the latter, as noted by WHO, to a lesser extent). The same mosquitoes are also responsible for transmitting chicugunya. Dengue is widespread in the tropics.

Among the symptoms that can appear with it are subclinical - in this case, people do not even understand that they are sick - as well as severe flu-like manifestations. Among the main signs are:

• headache, quite severe pain;
• pain in the eyes;
• pain in muscles and joints;
• nausea;
• vomiting;
• swollen glands;
• appearance of a rash.

Naturally, you need to see a doctor.

The hamster has infected! What diseases are transmitted from animals to people? More details

Why are parasites and mosquito saliva dangerous?

As mentioned above, the mosquito injects saliva into the human body, in which hepatitis and HIV do not survive. But microfilariae survive in mosquito saliva, which the mosquito receives by sucking the blood of the carrier of these parasites.

How is this dangerous for humans? Primarily problems with the lymphatic system. But sometimes lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) can develop. Stagnation of lymph can lead to blindness, disability, and may even require amputation. Deaths also occur.

Chikugunya

Another pathology that is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes is chikugunya. This is a viral infection that causes fever and severe joint pain. In addition, swelling of the joints, headaches, nausea, fatigue and the appearance of a rash are noted against the background of infection. Moreover, joint pain is considered debilitating and lasts for varying amounts of time.

There is no vaccine or specific prevention against this problem. As a rule, symptomatic therapy is used as treatment.

How to protect yourself from mosquito bites?

The greatest risk of catching the diseases described above occurs when traveling outdoors. Forests, meadows, swamps, rivers and lakes are teeming with mosquitoes. To protect yourself from bites and their consequences, you need to follow a few simple rules:

• Wear thick, light-colored clothing that covers all areas of the body as much as possible. Wear a hood, head covering or anti-encephalitis suits - they have a hood with fine mesh over the face.
• Do not use strong-smelling perfumes or deodorants - mosquitoes are attracted to strong and strong odors. It would also be a good idea to take a shower or swim in a pond - in addition to the aroma of perfume, mosquitoes are guided by the smell of sweat.
• Use repellent. For example, take “Nechesun” napkins with you when going outdoors. This is a convenient, compact and effective tool.
• If you have allergies, carry antihistamines with you.

Cases of infections transmitted by mosquitoes are relatively rare. And if you follow precautions and be attentive to your body, reacting in time to the occurrence of possible symptoms, you will protect yourself 100%.

Habitat of mosquitoes in Russia

Mosquitoes live throughout Russia. In our country there are about 100 species of these insects. The most common species is the common mosquito, which can be found wherever there are people. Mosquitoes live both in cold Siberia and the Far East, and in the southern regions of the country, for example, in the Krasnodar Territory or Rostov Region.

For most species that carry infectious diseases, Russia is not their usual habitat. But, for example, malaria mosquitoes still occur.

Malaria mosquito

St. Louis Virus

For the first time, a disease that is similar to Japanese encephalitis was discovered in 33 of the 20th century. The St. Louis virus is characterized by a long incubation period - from 5 to 15 days. Most often it is asymptomatic, but the following manifestations also occur:

• headache;
• general weakness;
• drowsiness;
• temperature increase.

In rare cases, infection from a mosquito bite ends in death as a result of complications. They manifest themselves through paralysis, convulsions and doubling in the eyes. To detect the St. Louis virus, a blood test is taken and a lumbar puncture is performed. It is important to avoid complications and see a doctor. There is no single treatment program, but during the period of illness, doctors alleviate the symptoms.

Methods of killing mosquitoes

In order not to face the danger of diseases, to protect yourself and your loved ones, you need powerful mosquito repellers. And the conversation is not about repellents or fumigators; EcoSniper mosquito traps or mosquito killers will help here:

1. EcoSniper mosquito traps do not emit odors, are non-toxic and can be used in residential areas. A device with a bright lamp attracts bloodsuckers, they fly up, but can’t get out.
2. EcoSniper mosquito exterminators have a simple design, but are extremely effective. The environmentally friendly devices are also equipped with a bright lamp, imitate body heat and human breathing, but have a special energized grid. The bloodsuckers fall onto the mesh and burn.

EcoSniper mosquito killers and traps are absolutely safe for people and pets, meet sanitary safety standards and can be used to protect residential, non-residential premises, utility rooms, kitchen areas, etc. To buy high-quality EcoSniper mosquito killers, call our company. A specialist will help you choose a suitable device, taking into account the individual characteristics of the room and the owner’s requirements.

Epidemic polyarthritis

This disease also has a second name - Ross River fever. It is named after the place where it was first recorded. Residents of Australia and the South Pacific Islands are currently at risk. Epidemic polyarthritis is not transmitted from humans: it is spread only by mosquitoes. The symptoms are very similar to those of the flu. The person complains of fever, high temperature and even hallucinations. The patient should be kept at rest and given painkillers. There is no universal cure, so during your stay in Australia we recommend protecting yourself as much as possible from small bloodsuckers.

What disease do mosquitoes carry to dogs? One of these is epidemic polyarthritis, so you should also take care of your smaller friends: if the owner does not act, the dog will die.