Which Countries Have Mosquitoes?
Thousands of species of mosquito buzz around the world. Whether you live in a tropical or antarctic country, they can be a threat to you and your family. They are capable of carrying a variety of diseases, such as malaria, dengue, encephalitis and yellow fever. But in the United States, where they have a reputation as being less prevalent, they are also a hazard.
The first disease-carrying mosquitoes to come to the United States were believed to have been brought on trading ships in the late 1400s. They were thought to have come from ships carrying tires and goods from the Caribbean. While the mosquitoes were not always found in the United States, they have been known to be present in some areas.
Today, there are approximately 2,500 species of mosquitoes in the world. Of these, four transmit disease: Culex, Anopheles, Aedes and An. The Aedes aegypti is the primary transmitter of dengue and is harder to control than the other mosquitoes.
While it is difficult to control the population of all of these species, the goal of reducing mosquito-borne disease is a priority. There is a growing interest in developing new mosquito-control tools. The Eliminate Dengue organization is testing the effectiveness of mosquitoes infected with a bacterium called Wolbachia pipientis. The bacterium protects mosquitoes from chikungunya virus and Zika virus.
Eliminate Dengue has faced unexpected challenges, as they try to scale up releases in urban areas. They also have faced a lack of funding.