The Most Common Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Dengue Fever

Dengue fever, or simply dengue, is transmitted chiefly by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is found in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Dengue is thus endemic in at least 128 countries, and over 3.9 billion individuals, over half the world’s population, are at risk. A vaccine for individuals between nine and forty-five living in endemic areas was introduced in late 2015.

Dengue causes symptoms similar to those seen in the flu, such as high fever, swollen glands, nausea, vomiting, and pain behind the eyes. Most develop symptoms four to ten days after being bitten. About three to seven days after being bitten, some individuals develop a condition called severe dengue or dengue hemorrhagic fever. While the patient’s fever drops a little, they produce other symptoms like persistent vomiting, severe stomach pains, bleeding gums, blood in their vomit, rapid breathing, restlessness, and fatigue. Without medical care, the patient can die in one or two days.

Continue to discover the details on the final common mosquito-borne illness on this list.