4 minutes agoAuthor: Gaurav Tiwari
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The date was 20 August, 1897. On this day, a British doctor Sir Ronald Ross made an unprecedented discovery. He told the world that the female Anopheles mosquito is responsible for spreading malaria among humans. The parasite that causes malaria was found in the stomach of this female mosquito.
This may seem like a small thing today, but at that time it was a great achievement for the world of science and medicine to find this out. That is why this day was recorded in history. Since then, every year 20 August is celebrated as World Mosquito Day. Every year, on the pretext of World Mosquito Day, people are made aware to deal with the dangers posed by mosquito-borne diseases.
so today ‘Health report’ I will talk about the diseases spread by mosquitoes. Also, we will know that-
- How dangerous are those diseases which are spread by mosquitoes?
- Which mosquito is responsible for which disease?
- How are mosquitoes becoming so powerful every day?
Health emergency in Nagpur due to Chikungunya and Dengue
Nagpur is a large city in Maharashtra, India. The local health care system is facing a serious public health crisis due to a rapid increase in cases of chikungunya and dengue. Due to the alarming increase in mosquito-borne diseases, the municipal corporation has declared a public health emergency, so that an immediate and comprehensive plan can be made to prevent its outbreak and protect public health.
Mosquitoes are more dangerous to humans than snakes
Mosquitoes are said to be the most dangerous creatures for humans. This is true. According to the World Health Organization, every year around 1 lakh 40 thousand people die due to snake bites, while every year more than 10 lakh people lose their lives due to diseases spread by mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes are the cause of many deadly diseases
Mosquitoes are such creatures that can spread not just one but many diseases. The biggest problem in this is that we cannot identify which mosquito has brought which disease by looking at them directly. This is the reason why World Mosquito Day is celebrated every year to make everyone aware.
There are many types of mosquitoes. They can cause different diseases. See the graphic.
There are more than 10 diseases spread by mosquito bites all over the world. Let us know the basics about the 5 most spread and harmful diseases that affect humans.
Malaria
- Malaria is a dangerous disease. It causes huge losses. The female Anopheles mosquito is responsible for spreading this disease.
- It causes symptoms like fever, headache and chills. Its symptoms usually start 10 to 15 days after infection.
- Every year around 250 million cases of malaria are reported worldwide.
There are 5 types of malaria. Some types of malaria can be fatal.
1. Plasmodium falciparum
2. Plasmodium vivax
3. Plasmodium ovale malaria
4. Plasmodium malariae
5. Plasmodium knowlesi
Anti-malarial drugs are available to treat malaria. Now in some places, vaccines are also being successfully used for its treatment.
West Nile Virus
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the disease is spread by mosquito bites.
- Usually, it causes vomiting, diarrhoea, cramps and headache along with fever.
- The most dangerous thing about West Nile fever is that in 6 out of 10 cases, symptoms are not visible.
- People with weak immunity, people who have recently undergone any illness or operation and people above 60 years of age are at greater risk.
- Since 80% of people with the disease do not develop any symptoms, accurate statistics are not available.
Dengue
- This viral infection is endemic (a disease that is spreading rapidly locally) in over 100 countries.
- The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads the disease, infects more than 390 million people worldwide each year.
- According to the World Health Organization, dengue usually causes mild illness and treatment aims to alleviate symptoms. However, in severe cases, dengue is sometimes called ‘breakbone fever’. This is because it can cause severe headache, muscle and joint pain, high fever, nausea, fatigue, severe abdominal pain, vomiting and sometimes even death.
- Generally, the rate of dengue infection is highest in Asian and American countries. In the last few years, it has been spreading to new areas including Europe.
- The Aedes aegypti mosquitoes responsible for spreading dengue are also known as cockroaches.
Chikungunya
- The first case of Chikungunya was reported in India about 60 years ago in 1963. However, it first became a matter of concern in the year 2006, when its cases increased rapidly in the country.
- It is also known as Back Breaking Fever.
- Chikungunya is caused by the Aedes albopictus mosquito, also known as the Asian tiger mosquito. The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which causes dengue, can also spread it.
- These mosquitoes have expanded their geographical range only in the last 30 years. Its infection has spread to more than 110 countries so far.
- In the first two weeks of infection, 92% patients have joint pain, 91% have muscle pain, 92% have headache and 56% patients feel stiffness in the morning.
- There is no exact cure for Chikungunya yet. Therefore, treatment is done to reduce the symptoms with the help of antiviral drugs. Work is underway to develop a vaccine for it.
Zika Virus
- Zika virus is a disease spread by infected Aedes mosquitoes. These mosquitoes are usually found in slightly warmer areas like India and African countries.
- The biggest problem with this disease is that most infected people do not know that they are infected with the Zika virus. In fact, the symptoms of the Zika virus are very mild. Despite this, it can cause serious harm to pregnant women.
- This can impede mental development of the foetus and cause vision related problems.
- According to the World Health Organization, only 1 in 5 people infected with the Zika virus show symptoms. Its symptoms are so common that it becomes difficult to guess the disease.
- There is no specific medicine to treat Zika virus. Its symptoms can be reduced by giving some medicines related to fever and pain. Its best treatment is prevention.
