dengue Archives - Pest Control Philippines

January 26, 2021January 25, 2021

4 Mosquito Borne Diseases You Should Know About

Close-up of mosquito sucking blood from human arm.

What are the mosquito-borne diseases you should know about?

Dengue
Zika virus
Chikungunya
Yellow fever

During rainy seasons, dengue is one of the most common mosquito-borne diseases in the Philippines, South-East Asia, and many other regions. But did you know that there are other diseases caused by this pesky insect? When left untreated, the worst of these diseases may even lead to fatalities. Some may not be life-threatening, but they may leave lasting effects that can make living a normal and healthy life, challenging.

Aside from dengue, mosquitos are also the cause of Zika Virus, chikungunya, yellow fever, and many more. If you want to avoid getting sick by these insects in the first place, keep a lookout for potential symptoms and make good hygiene a priority. Continue reading to learn more.

Dengue

Dengue needs no introduction, but it’s still important to understand how this is spread. This viral disease is transmitted mainly when an individual gets bitten by a female Aedes species mosquito. The females need to consume human blood in order to facilitate the reproduction of eggs. When a mosquito bites someone who is infected with the dengue virus, they will become carriers or vectors and will spread the diseases to other humans through biting.

Fever is a common dengue symptom, but you should also look out for other signs such as vomiting, nausea, headaches, skin rashes, and other body pains. There is currently no treatment. However, the World Health Organization has recommended the use of Dengvaxia (dengue vaccine CYD-TDV) only for individuals that have previously caught the infection.

If you’re recovering from dengue at home, you can also do a number of pain relief techniques such as consuming paracetamol (ibuprofen or aspirin is not prescribed, since they may cause harmful side effects, like bleeding. Make sure that you stay hydrated and that you don’t drink water that has been left stagnant for some time.

Zika Virus

The first recorded outbreak of the Zika Virus was in the mid-20th century in the tropical region of Africa. There have since been other reported cases of this virus in areas like Central America, Africa, the Caribbean, South-East Asia, and the Pacific Region.

Zika Virus is transmitted similarly to dengue — i.e. through the bite of an Aedes mosquito — however, there are a few key differences. For one, there is potential for human-to-human transmission, especially after intercourse with an infected person. Pregnant women who contract this disease are also likely to pass it onto the baby, causing potential birth defects.

Another difference is that people infected with the Zika Virus may be asymptomatic or may only show mild symptoms like fever, body pains, conjunctivitis, or rashes. Consistently applying mosquito-repellent lotions, wearing covered outfits, and making sure that there is no standing water at home can help oneself from this disease.

Chikungunya

Also known as CHIK fever, chikungunya is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquito and has spread in the Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Similar to the Zika Virus and dengue chikungunya is spread through bites from infected mosquitoes.

Symptoms from this mosquito-borne virus in infected individuals will show around 3 to 7 days after being bitten. These symptoms can be mild to debilitating, which can affect everyday life. Muscle and joint pains, in particular, may last for several months even after all other symptoms have gone away (fever, rashes, headaches).

Patients that have recovered from either any of the three diseases on the list may already be protected or immune from further reinfection in the future. You can protect yourself from this disease by practicing proper hygiene, wearing covered clothing, applying mosquito repellents, and keeping your surroundings clean and tidy.

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is another mosquito-transmitted disease caused by the Aedes or the Haemagogus species. A typical symptom of this disease may be the following: body pains, nausea, vomiting, headaches, exhaustion, lethargy (weakness), chills, and fever. In some cases, patients may even develop jaundice which causes the skin and the eyes to turn yellowish.

The disease is endemic in Central America, South America, as well as Africa. Upon infection, the symptoms can be mild or severe. Most patients are able to recover and will not show any symptoms after four days. In severe cases, however, patients may experience a number of cardiac, kidney, and liver issues — all of which can result in fatality.

Yellow fever prevention can be done by taking precautions similar to what you’d do to prevent dengue, Zika Virus, and chikungunya. Vaccination is also effective and can provide long-lasting protection against the virus.

Key Takeaway

Some of the mosquito-borne diseases covered in this guide include the following: dengue, chikungunya, Zika Virus, and yellow fever. The most common type of mosquito species causing these diseases is the Aedes, but in the case of yellow fever, the Haemagogus species may also be the culprit. As long as you take all the necessary precautions to counter diseases, you can stay safe without any worries.

Is your building a breeding ground for mosquitoes during the rainy season? You may need professional pest control services from Topbest. Get in touch with us now and get a free consultation!

September 10, 2019

Understanding the Behavior of Dengue Mosquitoes

What are the important things to remember regarding dengue mosquito behavior?

Preliminaries
Habitat and Reproductive Cycle
Feeding Pattern and Biting Behavior
Tips for Mosquito Control

The Aedes aegypti mosquito, otherwise known as the dengue mosquito, is an insect that has been under scrutiny recently due to the widespread outbreaks of the dengue virus. Since the virus is yet to have a vaccine that has been proven to be effective, mosquito control and prevention are still the main priority when it comes to combating the dengue epidemic.

This brings us back to the Aedes aegypti. As the only vector for the disease, knowing its specific characteristics and behavior is crucial to effective mosquito control. No one wants to be afflicted with the potentially lethal disease, so for that not to happen being informed is the first step. Here is what you need to know about dengue mosquitoes and their behavior.

Preliminaries

Before going into specific behavioral information, it is always important to be reminded of the basic information. The Aedes aegypti is a small, dark mosquito with white, lyre-shaped markings and banded legs. They are the only mosquitoes aside from other members of the Aedes genus that can transmit the dengue virus.

In terms of the virus itself, there are four known kinds of dengue and getting infected with any one of the four leads to the same symptoms and complications. Getting infected would also mean developing a life-long resistance to the virus itself, but do not forget that there are four variations and that you are only going to be immune to the specific type of dengue you have already contracted. This means you can potentially be infected with four different types in four separate instances if you’re unlucky. Just because you’ve recovered from one instance doesn’t mean you’re already safe. Complacency should be avoided.

Now that we have the preliminary information out of the way, it’s time to bring the focus back to the insect itself because there is much to know about them.

Habitat and Reproductive Cycle

If you didn’t already know, the Aedes aegypti is an insect that likes to live and breed around wet areas, especially open sources of water. This is because their eggs and subsequent larvae can only survive in water. After male and female mosquitoes mate, a process that can be as quick as fifteen seconds, the female will need a good amount of nutrients to help produce the eggs i.e. protein-rich blood.

This is where it will go out and find people and other organisms to bite. After successfully producing the eggs, the female mosquito will find a water container, be it natural or artificial, to lay their eggs in. This can come in the form of a tree stump, a flower pot, discarded tires, buckets, tin cans, gutters, and many more as long as it has stagnant water. Aside from that, places that are within close range to where humans live are ideal larval habitats. Underground collections of water are also not out of the question.

Feeding Pattern and Biting Behavior

Since females are the only ones that require blood as a food source, they are the only ones that bite other organisms. They prefer biting people because human blood is usually protein-rich and has nutrients. However, they also bite other creatures like dogs and other domesticated animals. Male Aedes aegypti are content with consuming plant nectar and will not bite.

Aedes aegypti bites are most common during the day, specifically two hours after sunrise and a couple of hours before sunset. However, don’t feel complacent at night because well-lit areas naturally attract mosquitoes and they will still bite if the opportunity arises. In terms of where they prefer to bite humans, the Aedes aegypti has been observed to prefer biting from behind, targetting your ankles and elbows.

Tips for Mosquito Control

Now that you have information to work with, here are a couple of tips for mosquito control that you can use to help prevent the spreading of dengue:
Source reduction – eliminate unnecessary container habitats that collect water because mosquitoes can, and will, breed their larvae in those habitats.

In connection to source reduction, using direct water sources and minimizing the use of wells and other water containers as a water source will be helpful.
To prevent bites, use mosquito repellant or wear long-sleeved clothing to protect your elbows and ankles.

If possible, look at the mosquito biting you because Aedes aegypti will have white marks on its body. It’s hard to miss it once spotted.
Contact your health authorities if you see an alarming amount of mosquitos in your area so that they can conduct an inspection and implement the necessary countermeasures.

Key Takeaway

A Dengue epidemic can be frightening, especially if it happens in your area. However, there’s no need to panic because there are things you can do to combat it and avoid getting infected. It all starts with being informed and then acting upon the information you’ve gained.

August 25, 2016July 19, 2019

4 Diseases Caused by Insects

Insects are some of the most common disease vectors in the planet. Insects can spread bacterial, viral and protozoan pathogens by their bite or their feces. Many insects are responsible for disease transmission from one host to another and perhaps the most known vector is the mosquitoes. They are notorious for diseases like malaria, dengue and filiarasis. If ever you suspect harmful insects in your house, call your local pest terminator immediately like termite control. That way, you will ensure that your house will be safe from disease-causing insects.

The following are the most common diseases that are caused by insects:

Dengue fever

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the dengue virus that one can get from an infected mosquito. The symptoms are high fever, headache, vomiting, pain in the muscles and joints, rashes in the skin, which typically begins three to fourteen days after the infection. An infected person may recover in less than a week but in some cases, the disease develops into the life threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever. This results in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage. This can also lead to dengue shock syndrome, where blood pressure lowers into dangerous levels.

African Sleeping Sickness

The African sleeping sickness is a parasitic disease of humans and other animals. It is caused by the protozoa of the Trypanosoma brucei and it is usually transmitted by the bite of an infected tsetse fly. This is more common rural areas. In the first stage of the disease, the patient will experience headache, fever, joint pains and itchiness. Weeks or months later, the patient will feel numbness, have poor coordination, get easily confused and have trouble sleeping. Treatment of this disease is ideal during the first stage to avoid further complications like neurological symptoms. Failure of treatment can result in the patient’s death.

Tick-borne Encephalitis

Tick-borne encephalitis, or TBE, is a contagious viral disease that targets the central nervous system. This disease usually manifests as meningitis, encephalitis, or meningoencephalitis. It can infect a range of hosts including cattle, sheep, birds, rodents, carnivores, and humans. It can also be transferred from animal to human, with pets and ruminants (cattle and sheep) providing the principal source infection for man. The virus can infect the brain (encephalitis), the meninges (meningitis) or both. Mortality is 1-2% and death occurs 5 to 7 days after the appearance of neurologic signs.

Malaria

Malaria is another mosquito-borne disease that affects humans and animals caused by parasitic protozoans. Symptoms usually include fatigue, vomiting, fever, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause seizures, coma, or even death. These symptoms begin two weeks after being bitten. If not properly treated, the patient will experience a recurrence of the disease after a while. For those who survived the infection, reinfection usually has milder symptoms.

These diseases can be prevented by making sure your house and surroundings are clean. Remember, a squeaky clean house can drive insects away and prevent them from turning your house into a breeding ground.

September 1, 2015October 27, 2020

Diseases You Can Get During the Rainy Season from Pests

anophelesfinal

The rainy season is here again! A lot of Filipinos are preparing their houses for the incoming typhoons and a lot of us are making sure we won’t get sick during one of the hardest seasons of the year. Illnesses that are brought by the rainy season are not just colds and coughs, although these are pretty serious too. We are going to talk about the illnesses we can get from the hitchhikers of storms: flying pests that spread serious diseases.

Apart from calling the best pest control in the Philippines that you can think of, you probably need to call a couple of doctors to learn about precautions you can take to avoid these awful diseases.

Malaria

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasitic protozoans carried by the Anopheles mosquitoes, and is transmitted to humans and animals alike. It was first discovered in the 1800’s but has existed as soon as agriculture developed 10,000 years ago. It used to be called marsh fever because it was associated with the marshlands.

It was French army doctor, Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran who first observed parasites in red blood cells—the first time a protist was observed to have caused a disease. Sir Ronald Ross, a Scottish physician, studied the life cycle of the malaria parasite and proved that the mosquito was the vector for malaria.

Symptoms of malaria include convulsions, fever and chills, respiratory problems, abnormal bleeding, jaundice, and organ dysfunction. Malaria can easily be diagnosed if the symptoms are present, but there are no laboratory signs to indicate the severity of the organ dysfunction. Once your doctor suspects that you might have malaria, follow his or her orders. There is no malaria vaccine as of the moment.

Dengue Fever

Another mosquito-borne disease occurring more in tropical countries like those in Africa, Southeast Asia, The Pacific Islands and The Caribbean is Dengue Fever. It is caused by a Flavivirus that is able to inhibit immune system response once infected.

The first recorded case of dengue fever was in China during the Jin Dynasty. It was referred to as water poisoning and was associated with flying insects. In the 15^th to the 19^th centuries, an epidemic spread out of Africa due to the vector A. aegypti due to the slave trade. It swept across Asia, Africa, and North America. In 1906, it was confirmed that the Aedes mosquito is responsible for transmitting dengue. After the Second World War, different strains of the disease spread to different places, one of which is the Philippines where the first reported severe case of dengue happened in 1953.

The symptoms for dengue fever usually manifests four to six days after being infected. These may include a sudden high fever, pain behind the eyes, severe headaches, joint and muscle pain, fatigue, vomiting, and skin rash. There no known antibiotics to fight dengue. The treatment is usually directed towards relieving each symptom.

Leptospirosis

It is a bacterial disease caused by Leptospira, a corkscrew-shaped pathogenic. Both animals and humans can be infected through direct contact with the urine of infected animals or a urine-contaminated environment. In the Philippines, people usually contract the infection through the floods due to strong typhoons.

The first description of Leptospirosis was made by Adof Weil in 1886, but the Leptospirosa pathogen was actually first observed in 1097. In 1908, it was confirmed as the cause of the infectious disease. In 1916, it was found to be present in rats.

Symptoms of Leptospirosis include high fever, chills, muscle pain, headaches, vomiting, skin rash, abdominal pain, and jaundice. Often people mistake these symptoms for other illnesses. It is treated with antibiotics like penicillin or doxycycline. Intravenous antibiotics are given to patients with severe leptospirosis.

We have to be very careful around dirty water during this rainy season, and be wary of the symptoms that can manifest. If you think you are infected by these illnesses, immediately go to your doctor to have treated. Stay safe and keep healthy everyone!

April 30, 2014September 12, 2019

11 Ways To Keep Your Home Mosquito Free

Aedes Albopictus Asian Tiger Mosquito Close Up 86722

How to keep your home mosquito free?

Use citronella candles
Use bug zappers
Call for pest control
Keep ventilation devices close by
Use garlic
Put up a bat house
Sprinkle coffee grounds
Keep some plants on your window and balcony
Try camphor
Install screens on windows and doors
Use lavender

The summer heat attracts more than beach bodies and party-goers to go out and play. The extra humidity also draws out mosquitoes into the fray. These pesky bloodsuckers bring a slew of diseases with them such as dengue fever, yellow fever, and malaria, to name a few.

You might find a few of these winged pests around and in your home, so how do you keep them away? Aside from the right kind of pest control, here are effective tips on keeping your home mosquito free.

1. Citronella candles

TopBest Pest Control - Citronella candles

Citronella is a natural plant extract that naturally repels mosquitoes. You can take that technique one step further by employing the use of citronella candles around important areas in your house. The heat of standard candles is good enough to repel mosquitoes and other winged insects, but the smell of citronella diffused from the burning candle will add extra defense to your home.

2. Bug zappers

Flying insects cannot stand the blue-colored hue of a bug zapper’s light. Once they touch the wire mesh encasing the light, they are instantly electrocuted to death. The constant zapping sound you hear is a sign that pests are being dealt with. Place one inside and outside your house.

3. Hire pest control

As mentioned above, exterminators will know what kind of non-toxic chemicals to use in and out your home to prevent mosquitoes, such as Cryonite. When dealing with mosquitoes, don’t just rely on D-I-Y methods. It’s best to consult experts on the matter.

4. Keep ventilation devices close by

A simple electric fan or air-conditioning unit will drive mosquitoes away. How? Remember that mosquitoes are attracted to heat. They have heat sensors that can locate their prey due to the heat they emanate from their body. If an aircon unit or electric fan is in use, your body temperature will be cooled down. Ergo, mosquitoes will go “blind” trying to look for you or even avoid the cool area altogether.

5. Garlic

Known for keeping a fictional type of bloodsucker away from you (vampires), garlic is also effective for driving away mosquitoes. The odor may be unpleasant, but it’s exactly that that repels mosquitoes from your home. You can crush them in water and spray them around your house’s nooks and crannies.

6. Bats, dude

An interesting way of eliminating mosquitoes from your home is having bats. Yep. Bats can eat as much as 1000 mosquitoes an hour. All you need to do is install a bat house outside your yard, or call Batman to make one for you. Just kidding. Seriously, build a bat house. Weird, yes, but hey, if you’re open to the idea, why not?

7. Coffee Grounds

While it may seem surprising, coffee grounds have been proven effective in repelling mosquitoes from infesting your home. What you may just need to do is sprinkle a few grounds in areas where there is stagnant water existing near your home.

Basically what the coffee grounds do is that it makes the mosquito eggs float into the surface. When they do, they will run out of oxygen, leaving them to die even before they are hatched. This, then, prevents the mosquitoes from breeding further.

8. Keep some plants

One way to naturally prevent mosquitoes from infesting your home is to keep a few plants like citronella, marigold, lavender, lemon balm and basil. They are mosquito-repelling plants that are accessible and are easy to grow. You just need to strategically place them on your window sills and at the balcony.

For an instance, the catnip plant was found to be ten times more effective than DEET, a well-known ingredient in mosquito repellant lotions in a study way back in 2010.

9. Camphor

Camphor is said to be the most effective mosquito repellant among others. For starters, camphor is basically a waxy substance that is extracted from the Camphor laurel tree. Aside from its usefulness, it’s also versatile to use.

One of the many ways you can use it is through lighting a few pieces of it and leave it off in the corner where mosquitoes are most present. After a half an hour or so, definitely you’ll find the place mosquito-free.

Another way you can achieve the same results is to place a few camphor tablets in the corners of your room where mosquitoes are existent, leave it there and it will evaporate within the day. Thus making the area free of mosquitoes, and with cleaner air.

10. Install screens on your windows and doors

Among the most recommended ways to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home is to install screens on your windows and doors. But of course, you have to put in mind that this is the kind which is of quality and is actually designed for mosquito control. Otherwise, the mosquitoes will be free to make their way through there.

Aside from installing screens, it’s also important to maintain them. Seal holes and fix tears regularly to maintain the effectiveness of the screens.

11. Use lavender

Lavender is known for its mild, fresh, and soothing aroma. People are fond of this scent most, whether it’s a perfume, freshener, soap, or a beauty product, because it’s versatile and definitely a great addition at home. However, it isn’t the same for mosquitoes. They hate lavender. This is a good thing in preventing mosquitoes from infesting your home. You can safely add a few drops of the oil to a piece of ribbon and place it on open windows. This will effectively hinder mosquitoes from entering your home.

Key Takeaway

Candles, bug zappers, pest control, ventilation, garlic, lavender, coffee grounds, plants, camphor, screens, and bats. These are some of the ways you can keep your home mosquito free this summer. Know any more ways how? You know the drill: sound off in the comments section below if you have any tips or suggestions.

April 16, 2014August 25, 2017

Hey There, Filipino! Your Roles In Preventing The Spread Of Dengue

TopBest - Prevent Dengue (Pest Control)

What are your roles in preventing dengue in the Philippines?

Spread accurate information through social media
Avail pest control services to handle mosquito infestation effectively
Attend seminars conducted in the internet or in your area, if possible, in order to be educated and well-informed of dengue
Maintain cleanliness in your environment in order to avoid mosquitoes from hanging out in your place

If you see your children suddenly rejoicing from out of nowhere at home, you might want to check outside, fellow mother. If it’s unnaturally hot and school’s out, you know what time it is: summer time! Your kids are definitely thinking about gimmicks with their friends, summer camps, every day visits to the mall, and similar activities.

But summer vacations aren’t just avenues to relax and enjoy. The intense heat and additional humidity draw mosquitoes and dengue. Yes, summer time is also dengue prevention month. As a not just a concerned mother, but a Filipino, you’ve got to spread the word to protect your fellow countrymen. Today, we’ll look at how you can do just that with social media, pest control here in the Philippines, seminars/reading, and cleanliness.

1. Social media

One of the first roles you can play in preventing the spread of dengue is through leading information dissemination. The easiest way to do that nowadays is to log on your social media account (like Facebook & Twitter), get articles from the Internet pertaining to dengue prevention, and share them on your news feed for everyone else to see. Some of the resources you can check on are the Department of Health (DOH); and the Center For Disease Control (CDC).

2. Pest control

Another role you can take is being the home protector. As the summer months draw on, you can expect mosquito presence to increase in and around your home. Your best tool against these winged pests is a professional exterminator service. Hire one like Topbest. They have experts who will fog, spray, and mist your home to keep those dengue-ridden mosquitoes away from your home.

Basically, there are numerous types of pest control that experts make use of in order to kill pests that lounges in your area. Some of these include:

Biological pest control

This type of pest control uses other organisms such as predators and parasites to control and handle pests. While this may be harmless to people, this may create biodiversity once performed without accurate knowledge.

For mosquitoes, experts use Bt Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. Israelensis. It is a bacteria that can infect and kill mosquito larvae. They are put in water sources where the mosquitoes may breed.

It’s one of the most ideal methods of controlling and getting rid of mosquitoes that one can do today.

Eliminating breeding grounds

The most well-known type of pest control is eliminating breeding grounds. This includes proper waste management, and emptying items that may still hold water.

This is important given that this is where the infestation starts, still water which may serve as a breeding ground for the mosquitoes, and unattended garbage which may provide food and shelter to these pests

Space fumigation and treatment

Space fumigation is an effective way to get rid of mosquitoes given that it includes gas in the process, which may kill all life stages of the said pests. Space treatment on the other hand, includes fogging or misting that does not require people from evacuating the space. Basically, it uses liquid insecticides to perform the fogging or misting.

3. Seminars

If you don’t know anything about mosquitoes and dengue, then it’s time to put on your information seeker hat. As with the first role, you can find these kinds of seminars easily on the Internet. While you’re at it, spread the word on your social media accounts and invite your friends to join in, too!

Another way to do that is read up on pamphlets and articles you can find about the dreaded mosquito-borne disease. You’ll be arming yourself with vital information on how you can prevent dengue, which in turn will help you apply these in your personal life. Speaking of, one vital piece of information you can find is…

4. Cleanliness

Dengue prevention is possible once you are able to adapt into the role of sanitation expert. A major mosquito (and dengue) magnet is any small body of water. These places serve as breeding grounds for new mosquitoes to come alive. In order to prevent the spread of dengue, you’ve got to eliminate water from catch basins and puddles outside your home and cover all water containers inside. Be sure to mop up any spoilt H₂O as well, just to increase your chances.

Some other ways that you can maintain cleanliness on your surroundings and within your home and prevent dengue are as follows:

Clean your yard. Those untrimmed bushes, stuck garbage on your garage, and the damp wood that’s been left sitting along with the garbage should be removed and thrown away. Start cleaning your yard and make sure that it would not serve the mosquitoes a comfortable place to live in. After all, mosquitoes are fond of dark and damp places.
Do not leave your doors and windows open. While a breath of fresh air early in the morning may seem a good start for the day, do not leave it open at most times. Experts say that there’s a common misconception about mosquitoes that they will fly away into the sunlight when you leave your doors and windows open.
Spray insecticides regularly. Regularly doesn’t mean every day, it may be after a day or two so as not to stuff your home with too much chemicals. Spray them on dark areas, corners, cabinets, and crevices where insects may most likely hang out. Surely, you’ll see tons of dead insects the next day on the areas where you sprayed the insecticides. Furthermore, avoid doing the routine at times where there’s a lot of people in the house. As much as possible do it when everybody’s not around to avoid them getting exposed to the chemicals.
Apply insect repellents regularly. Insect repellents with ingredients DEET, picaridin, and IR3535 are the most effective in avoiding the risks of dengue. These ingredients help block the scent of the person against the mosquito’s sensors, thus avoiding mosquito bites.

We hope your children’s summer is fun and dengue free, as with your fellow Filipinos. If you know any other roles you can take to prevent the spread of dengue, let us know in the comments section below.

April 10, 2014August 24, 2017

Mosquito Outbreak Manila: 5 Facts About The Mosquito Scare

What should you know about the mosquito outbreak in the Philippines?

Mosquito bites transfer a variety of deadly diseases such as dengue, malaria, chikungunya, and zika virus.
The mosquitoes that transmit these diseases are females.
Mosquitoes can sense you through heat.
Mosquitoes can breed in small bodies of water.
Among others, Malaria remains the world’s deadliest mosquito-borne disease.

Though the intense heat of the summer sun means that it’s vacation time, there’s a danger that must be avoided as well. The additional heat and humidity attracts mosquitoes to suck your blood. You should be very careful about this and with good reason, too. How scary are mosquitoes? Read on to discover 5 facts about the big deal with these pests.

More so, if you’ve got mosquitoes circling your home, you should definitely call pest control in the Philippines ASAP!

Fact #1: Mosquito bites transfer a slew of deadly diseases

Dengue, malaria, Chikungunya and the Zika virus are just some of the viral infections mosquitoes transfer to humans. The scary part is that there is no known or specific cure to any of these diseases. For yellow fever and Chikungunya, medical experts can only treat the symptoms, not the source. All they can probably do after that is pray and hope for the best.

In order to understand these diseases further, here’s a brief discussion to help you with:

Dengue

Dengue is the most viral mosquito infection that Filipinos struggle with, and while the fight against this disease may be challenging for the government and the people, it can be said that the Philippines have, at least, reduced the population of people who gets easily infected with this viral infection.

Basically, dengue is transmitted by mosquito species such as the Aedes aegypt and Aedes albopictus. Its symptoms include: joint pain, high fever, rashes, headache, muscle pain, swelling of joints, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. These signs appear within 3 to 7 days after the mosquito bite.

Chikungunya

Chikungunya is widely known as a mosquito-borne disease that’s particularly similar to dengue in certain points. From the species of mosquitoes that transmits the disease to the signs and symptoms that appears as one gets infected with it. However, unlike dengue, Chikungunya differs in terms of the severity of the disease. While the joint pains may appear incapacitating, it is not as fatal as the latter.

Malaria

Malaria, alongside dengue, is a serious disease that the Philippines has been battling with for several years now. Fortunately, the efforts of the government has been resulting in positive numbers, comparatively lower than that of the earlier years.

Basically, malaria is a disease rooting from a single-celled parasite called protozoon belonging in the family of genus plasmodium. The reason why malaria is prevalent in the country is that, mainly, the four main species of this parasite – Plasmodim falciparum, plasmodium vivax, plasmodium ovale, and plasmodium malariae – are all present in the Philippines. Now, the female infected mosquitoes of Anopheles specie transmit these parasites to people through bites.

Commonly, malaria symptoms appear in high grade fever that recurs every after 2 to 3 days. After the fever, the infected person will experience lasting chills, and as it subsides, he/she will experience marked sweating.

The common problem with malaria is that it develops into anemia and kidney and liver failure. However, at difficult times, this can also develop into cerebral malaria.

Zika Virus

Zika virus is yet another terrible mosquito-borne disease that threatens the life of newborn babies. It is transmitted by the mosquito specie Aedes aegypti, and is spreading across various countries around the globe. Unfortunately, as of writing, there is no vaccine nor cure for Zika virus, hence it is considered a pandemic in progress.

This virus causes developmental issues and even death to babies, which for one includes the neurological disorder where the babies are born with small heads.

Fact #2: The mosquitoes that transmit these diseases are females

This isn’t really a scary fact, but more of an interesting tidbit you can take home after reading this article. It is the female mosquitoes (not the males) that drain your life juice. Why? These femme fatales need your blood to fertilize their eggs before laying them in the water. And if they’ve come from really dirty, unsanitized places, you are vulnerable to the diseases mentioned, in fact #1 the moment their proboscis comes into contact with your skin. Yikes! It’s time to pull out that mosquito repellent and rub it thoroughly over your exposed skin areas.

Fact #3: Mosquitoes can sense you through heat

Just like The Predator in the Alien vs. Predator films, mosquitoes are able to track their victims through their heat sensors located on the tip of their antennae, not via eyesight.

Their vision, by the way, is very poor; hence, the reliance on their sensors. Once they get within 10 feet (or 3 meters) of their target, they home in like heat seeker missiles. The efficiency of their sensors increases by a factor of 3 when the environment’s humidity is very high. This means they can sense you from 30 feet (or 6 meters) away. That’s also why mosquitoes suddenly come out of the woodwork to play during the summer season.

Another way they can sense their next victim is through the carbon dioxide we exhale and our scent. If you want to avoid this, wear light-colored clothing like white and yellow when you go out. And make sure you wipe your sweat regularly.

Fact #4: Mosquitoes can breed in small bodies of water

That means unclosed water pails, tanks, and even puddles after a rainstorm. If you want to decrease the chance of mosquitoes in your home, make sure you don’t leave water undrained from faucets, sinks, tubs, or uncovered in the case of pails.

Fact #5: Among others, Malaria remains the world’s deadliest mosquito-borne disease

Today, Malaria is considered to be the deadliest mosquito-borne disease with more than a million people dying from it every year. While it may only start as a fever, chills, and a flu-like illness, it may result to serious diseases when left untreated. Even more, into death. Hence, immediate action should be taken into account as one notices these particular symptoms.

Key Takeaway

Hopefully, these facts will better prepare you for dealing with mosquitoes during the summer season. If you know any other interesting facts about these winged pests, feel free to share your info in the comments section below.