Q: Why do cases of mosquito-borne illnesses seem to be going up? How can you protect yourself?
A: A confluence of factors are making mosquito-borne illnesses (like dengue and West Nile virus) more frequent, including climate change, urbanization, and decline in the widespread use of the insecticide DDT, among other factors.
You may have heard of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s bout of West Nile Virus, which landed him in the hospital over the summer. You may also have seen other headlines talking about other mosquito-borne (e.g., carried by mosquito) illnesses like dengue and Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). West Nile virus is the most common threat in the U.S., but in other parts of the world, dengue, malaria, and Zika are also very real concerns. What is going on with mosquito-borne illnesses – why do experts think they’re on the rise and how can you protect yourself?
There are a number of reasons why mosquito-borne illnesses are on the rise. Mosquitoes like and thrive in warm weather. Climate change keeps the temperature warm for a longer portion of the year, which leads to a longer active mosquito season. This provides more opportunities for mosquitoes to infect people over a longer window. Higher temperatures globally also means mosquitoes wind up in places that are traditionally cooler, like mountainous areas that are now hotter due to climate change, and so diseases have the opportunity to spread further across the globe.
The spread of urban areas also gives mosquitoes a greater chance to breed and infect people. Mosquitoes love urban areas because there are fewer predators and there are more people to infect. So they tend to hang out in cities. As these areas increase across the globe, they will create additional opportunities for mosquitoes to breed, spread, and infect people.
DDT, which was used heavily in the 1940s through the 1970s in the U.S., was very effective at eliminating mosquitoes but had a lot of environmental fallout. As a result, it was banned in the U.S. in 1972. As the concentration of DDT in the environment has declined over time, the number of mosquitoes has increased dramatically.
Given all this, mosquitoes are a significant concern in this country and are becoming an even more serious source of trouble. It’s a good idea to gain a better understanding now of ways to protect yourself against them. At best, they are annoying, and at worst, they may have serious consequences for your health. Here are a few tips:
- Just as with sun safety, covering up is one of the best ways to protect yourself. If you are covered, you are somewhat safer. This can be hard when it’s really hot out, but it’s one of the easiest ways to protect yourself. You may also be safer in looser clothes.
- Insect repellent! Use one that’s registered with the Environmental Protection Agency like DEET or picaridin. DEET is safe for kids too as long as you don’t use anything that contains more than 30% DEET. Apply no more than once a day on a child.
- Get rid of standing water around your house! Mosquitoes adore standing water, and they tend to breed in there! Control your mosquito population by pouring out any water that’s just lying around.
Mosquitoes are becoming our neighbors more and more by the year. Climate change takes the blame for a lot of this, as well as a few other environmental and behavioral factors. Keep yourself safe and be aware of this growing threat.
Stay safe out there!
Love,
Those Nerdy Girls
Additional resources:
The spread of EEE cases in America:
Examination of factors leading to uptick in EEE cases in Europe
What’s behind the recent surge in mosquito-borne illnesses
From the CDC on mosquito-borne illnesses
Stanford report on mosquito-borne illnesses and environmental influences
