Can Mosquitoes Have AIDS?
WouterViruses that are passed through saliva of specific species of mosquitoes carry diseases such as malaria and yellow fever. However, there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that mosquitoes can transmit AIDS.
A number of studies have been conducted on the issue. Many of them have been performed in the United States and abroad. Although there is no concrete evidence that mosquitoes can transmit AIDS, a large percentage of literate people believe that they do.
In order for a mosquito to transmit HIV, the blood of an infected person would need to be consumed by the mosquito. This would not occur unless the mosquito was carrying high levels of HIV. The virus would not be able to replicate inside the mosquito. It would also not be able to travel to another host. This is because the AIDS virus is not adapted to infect mosquito salivary gland cells. It has a strong affinity for human T cells.
The virus that causes AIDS is a retrovirus. It can infect lymphocytes and cells bearing the CD4 surface marker. It is an opportunistic disease that can only be spread by sexual contact or by using dirty needles. This is why it is important to avoid sharing needles. It is also important to take precautions to prevent contracting the virus by washing your hands before contacting an infected person.
If mosquitoes can transmit AIDS, they would need to feed on a person with HIV for a long period of time. This would mean that only a small amount of virus would be transferred.
