Which Diseases Do Fly’s Carry?
WouterWhether it’s a stomach bug or an upper respiratory infection, flies can bring with them a host of unpleasant symptoms. These illnesses can cause nausea, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. To avoid getting sick, always cover food with plastic wrap or place a cover over it. There are some diseases that flies are known to carry, including tularaemia, which is a bacterial infection that causes the skin to turn red and swollen.
Plague is another disease transmitted by flies. There are three types of plague, each of which can be fatal for humans. One form of plague is bubonic plague, which is caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis. Once it bites a person, it regurgitates plague bacilli, which enters the body through the skin. The disease has wiped out millions of people throughout history, but is still a concern today.
Another disease that flies can transmit is malaria. This is caused by the Plasmodium protozoan. The Aedes mosquito carries this disease. In the United States, the disease is rare mainly because it only affects travelers to countries with endemic disease. However, some mosquito-borne diseases are becoming more common because of climate change.
Other diseases carried by flies include American Trypanosomiasis and African Trypanosomiasis. These two diseases are often fatal, and are a big reason why parts of Africa were not able to be settled. Habitat destruction has also improved the spread of the disease.
