Dealing with mosquitoes and ticks in your yard is a challenging and often frustrating task. Mosquitoes and ticks are more than just nuisances that cause itchy bites; they are vectors for many dangerous diseases. These tiny pests are culprits of spreading numerous mosquito and tick-borne diseases ranging from malaria and dengue fever to Lyme disease and Zika virus.
Vector-Borne Transmission
Vector-borne diseases are illnesses caused by viruses, parasites, and bacteria that are transmitted to humans by vectors. Vectors are living organisms that can transmit infectious pathogens, such as ticks and mosquitoes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, North Americans are currently at risk from numerous vector-borne diseases. These diseases include Lyme, dengue fever, West Nile virus disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, plague, and tularemia.
How Do Mosquitoes Spread Diseases?
Mosquitoes spread diseases through their biting behavior, which is a crucial part of their life cycle. Female mosquitoes need blood to produce eggs. When an infected mosquito bites a person or animal, it injects its saliva, which contains the pathogens, into the new host’s bloodstream. This process enables the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases.
Most Common Diseases Transmitted by Mosquitoes:
- Zika Virus
- West Nile virus
- Chikungunya virus
- Dengue fever
- Malaria
How Do Ticks Spread Diseases?
Like mosquitoes, ticks spread diseases through their feeding process, known as “questing.” Ticks bite the skin and insert their feeding tube into a host. During the feeding process, which can last several hours to several days, an infected tick transmits pathogens from its saliva into the host’s bloodstream. If the tick is infected with a disease-causing organism, such as the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, these pathogens are passed on to the host, leading to infection.
Most Common Diseases Transmitted by Ticks:
- Lyme disease
- Babesiosis
- Ehrlichiosis
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
- Anaplasmosis
- Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness
- Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever
- Tularemia
Keep Your Family Safe from Mosquito and Tick-borne Diseases
By taking simple steps to protect yourself from mosquito and tick bites, and ensuring your property is treated to minimize the presence of these biting insects, you can significantly decrease the likelihood of acquiring insect-transmitted diseases. Rely on MissQuito to provide extra reassurance for your family, ensuring a worry-free outdoor experience!