Can You Get Aids From Mosquitoes?
WouterDespite the large number of studies that have been carried out on this topic, no one can say for sure whether mosquitoes can carry the AIDS virus. This is because the conditions needed to successfully transmit the virus through an insect are not met.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that there are “no evidence of any direct transmission of HIV from mosquitoes to humans.” However, it is possible that blood-feeding insects can spread disease mechanically, which is also the case with anthrax. Similarly, the AIDS virus is capable of surviving outside of the body, but this would be difficult to achieve.
As for the mosquito itself, it is a very efficient vector for the encephalitis virus. It is also capable of spreading malaria and other diseases. The virus is transferred to a new host during the mosquito’s feeding routine. It is also capable of infecting human/primate T cells, which is what the HIV needs to replicate.
It is not the first time that an insect has been linked to AIDS. In fact, it is a common belief among many people that mosquitoes can carry the virus. A survey conducted in a high school in the United States found that over thirty-four percent of students believed that mosquitoes could carry the AIDS virus. This belief was confirmed in a recent study in Brazil, where an additional seventeen cases of AIDS were identified as known risk factors.
The mosquito has a fairly complex feeding mechanism, involving two tubes in its proboscis. One tube sends saliva into the bite while the other sucks up blood from the host.
