Pests are tiny, pesky insects that crawl, fly, wiggle and cause a great deal of damage to property and human health. There are thousands of different insects in the world out of which only a few are very common that infest a place. These common pests are bed bugs, rodents, roaches, termites, ants, and mosquitoes. In this blog we are going to discuss mosquitoes and the deadly diseases caused by them.
Mosquitoes are notoriously famous for leaving angry red welts on your skin after a blood meal. These red welts can be potentially deadly. Let’s look at the list of diseases caused by these blood sucking tiny devils!
Malaria:
Malaria is caused by a parasite that is planted on the human body by mosquitoes. It is harmful, widespread, and life-threatening. The symptoms of malaria start showing usually 10-15 days after getting bitten and include body-ache, fever, fatigue, confusion, chills, and difficulty in breathing. The good thing is that it does not spread from person-to-person.
Dengue Fever:
Dengue fever imitates the symptoms of a normal flu. (fever, muscle pain, joint pain, head-ache, pain behind the eyes, vomiting, and rashes). In some cases, dengue can progress to a severe form known as dengue hemorrhagic fever, which can be fatal if not treated promptly.
Zika Virus:
Zika virus is a mosquito borne disease that is one of a kind as it can get transferred sexually and from a pregnant mother to its baby in the womb. It gained global attention due to its association with severe birth defects in infants born to infected mothers. Most people infected with Zika virus do not develop symptoms. Among those who do, they typically start 3–14 days after infection, are generally mild including rash, fever, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise and headache, and usually last for 2–7 days.
West Nile Virus:
West Nile Virus is spread through an infected mosquito and can cause a range of symptoms, from mild flu-like illness to severe neurological complications, such as encephalitis or meningitis. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of severe illness.
Preventative Measures
Remove Standing Water
Mosquitoes multiply in stagnant water. Make sure there is no still water around your house such as bird baths, flower pots, pools for more than a week. Make it a habit to clean and scrub objects containing stagnant water for more than a week.
Use Mosquito Repellents
Apply EPA-approved insect repellents containing ingredients like DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to exposed skin.
Wear Protective Clothing
Cover your skin properly when spending time outside especially in or during dark. Wearing socks, scarves, pants, full-sleeved tops can protect you from mosquito bites and eventually the diseases they spread.
Use Bed Nets
Bed nets are really effective when it comes to keeping the mosquitoes away. Carrying bed nets especially when you are traveling is great in protecting yourself from deadly disease mosquitoes.
Seek Expert Advice
If you believe that you might have been bitten by mosquitoes and are experiencing symptoms mentioned above, contact an expert as soon as possible for timely diagnosis and treatment. It is also very important to contact pest control professionals if you are facing a mosquito infestation. One such expert at handling pest infestations like a pro is Ridaway. It is EPA approved and is state licensed and insured. For a quick solution to an urgent intrusion, RidAway is ready to come to your rescue.
