Top Mosquito-Borne illnesses in The U.S
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ” Mosquito-borne diseases are those spread by the bite of an infected mosquito” (The National Institute for Occupation Safety and Health, 2016). The diseases that come from mosquitoes include Zika Virus, West Nile Virus, chikungunya virus, dengue and malaria. Most diseases that come from the mosquito-borne illnesses can lead to severe sickness and even death. Employers should be aware of the possibilities of exposure towards their own employees about possible mosquito-borne diseases.
Currently, The West Nile Virus (WNV) is the top highest rank of mosquito-borne diseases in the United States. The spread of the WNV can be done through a single bite of an infected mosquito. The infected mosquitos obtain the virus by feeding off of infected birds. According to the CDC, there have been a number of cases where the WNV have been transmitted through blood transfusion, organ donation and mother to baby during pregnancy, delivery or breast feeding.
The prevention of mosquito bites is highly advisable in order to prevent the possible exposure of the WNV. A couple of ways to prevent the exposure of mosquito bites can be done using insect repellents whenever the person is in an outdoor environment. Some instructions that are also advised for babies in children are making sure that the clothes that are used are properly covering their arms and legs and with the used of a mosquito netting to cover strollers and baby carriers.
At this time, most people do not show symptoms of the disease “Most people (8 out of 10) infected with West Nile virus do not develop any symptoms (Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, 2018). This makes it difficult for people to live their lives whether they have been exposed to the virus or not. For the other people who show symptoms it can include ” high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis (Transmission, 2018). People with the age over 60 or people with certain medical conditions creates a greater risk.
Unfortunately, there are no vaccines or antivirals treatments made specifically for the WNV at this time. Medical Doctors can prescribe over-the-counter pain relievers to treat the patients symptoms. In severe cases of exposure, the need of hospital care might be highly needed in order to help relieve symptoms. For extreme symptoms that present in other patients, it may take up to several weeks or months before the patient returns back to a healthy state. At this time, Doctors are closely monitoring the patients Central Nervous System (CNS) at it can be affected with the symptoms and can lead to permanent CNS damage.
In conclusion, the WNV should not be taken lightly and should be treated with extreme caution. The proper use of mosquito repellant and clothing that covers the arms and legs are highly advisable and should be done at all times in order to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses. The immediate consolation with the primary doctor should be done as soon as symptoms present in a person.
Author: Gonzalo Casilang
University of Cincinnati
References
- Mosquito-Borne Diseases. (2016). Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/outdoor/mosquito-borne/default.html
- Prevention. (2020). Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/prevention/index.html
- Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment. (2018). Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/symptoms/index.html
- Transmission. (2018). Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/transmission/index.html
