An Unstoppable Invasion:Deadly Mosquito-Born Disease

 "An Unstoppable Invasion: How Warming Temperatures Are Spreading Deadly Mosquito-Borne Diseases Across the US"

West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), malaria, and dengue fever are advancing in the United States. The flies that carry these diseases thrive in a warm climate. There have been 490 cases of West Nile virus fever, a disease spread by infected mosquitoes, in New York City since the turn of the century, according to the city's health department. One of the most famous cases is Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the President of the United States in the 2021-22 term.

The West Nile virus, rarely found outside East Africa and the Middle East, has now spread to New York and the United States. By 2023, the virus was found in more than 1,100 mosquito ponds, most of them in Queens. By 2024, cases of West Nile fever have been detected in 39 states. It is estimated that 70-80% of West Nile cases are mild or asymptomatic, but severe infections can cause permanent neurological problems. More likely is the increase in Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), another serious mosquito-borne disease of 30%. EEE was first identified as a public health threat as early as 1938, but over the past 20 years, outbreaks have recurred several times in the northeast of America, and cases have appeared in the north.

Fortunately, EEE cases are rare, but the largest outbreak in US history occurred in 2019, with a record 38 cases reported across the country. Six states have reported 10 cases of EEE so far in 2024, so Massachusetts, the state with the most cases, implemented mosquito spray to prevent the disease. According to infectious disease experts, this pattern of mosquito-borne diseases is common.

Earlier in September 2024, the family of a  New Hampshire man was diagnosed with not one, but three mosquito-borne illnesses at the same time: West Nile fever, EEE, and St. John's wort encephalitis. "We're seeing more and more people with multiple mosquito bites at the same time," said Chloé Lahondère, a biologist at Virginia Tech who studies bloodsucking insects. In the United States and around the world, mosquito bites are on the rise in different areas. "Last year, we recorded the first cases of malaria in the United States in 20 years," said Desiree LaBeaud, a professor of pediatrics and infectious diseases at Stanford University. Dengue has also been reported locally in California and Arizona. At the time, the number of cases of dengue fever reached a record high across Europe, while Peru faced a serious outbreak. 

climate relations  This is mainly due to the change in weather conditions, which has allowed different populations of mosquitoes that carry this virus, such as the subspecies of the Aedes and Culex species, to spread to new areas. As the temperature rises, mosquitoes move into previously inhospitable homes. Since first being discovered in Louisiana in 2004, the mosquito coronavirus has spread to nearly every state in the South, carrying diseases such as West Nile encephalitis and St. John's wort encephalitis. Louis, other mosquito species have spread further north.

People were surprised when dengue fever and other diseases transmitted by the Aedes mosquito suddenly appeared in California," said Sadie Ryan, a professor of health geography at the University of Florida. However, when they looked at mosquito monitoring information, they found that this species had a disease that had never been seen before and had never been seen in traps in the northern part of the state.                                                                                            

They haven't landed there yet, but there is a warning. As the temperature in the mountains became warmer, mosquitoes became more comfortable, and diseases such as malaria and dengue fever began to spread in the most remote parts of the world. For example, although malaria is endemic in Nepal, the disease is increasing in the country's hilly and mountainous regions, areas previously considered malaria-free. "Malaria is considered a disease of small countries," said Paul Tambia, president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases. "But now, as the temperature gets warmer, the light of the lowlands is increasing, so that the mosquitoes can survive in the higher places." This is expected to affect public health.

700 million people suffer from mosquito bites every year, and 1 million die. Climate indicators show that nearly one billion people, mostly in Europe and other low-lying areas, will be infected by mosquito-borne viruses for the first time in the next century, as transmission decreases in some parts of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

 Some researchers describe it as a constant march towards a "warm and sick world". But to understand why this is so, we need to understand mosquito biology and life cycle. Unlike humans and other mammals, mosquitoes are cold-blooded so they cannot regulate their body temperature. This means that all aspects of a mosquito's short life, from the speed of its bite to the speed of maturity and maturity, depend on the temperature of its environment. Different flies have different preferences. For example, the Aedes mosquito prefers temperatures below 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit), making it very difficult for mosquitoes to survive, and can live anywhere from Florida to southern Canada.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito, on the other hand, thrives at temperatures as low as 29°C (84°F). As temperatures rise in Europe and America, the mosquito's range and ability to spread increases. Ryan and his colleagues found that warmer temperatures lead to longer mosquito breeding periods and an increase in insect infections. "If temperatures rise and remain in the tropical ranges of mosquitoes, some species will grow faster, expand their ranges, increase mosquito populations, and affect the health of the people," Lahondel said. An Aedes mosquito can lay 200 eggs on a Coke bottle cap.

Here's why you should worry about that little bit of dirt in the water - Sadie Ryan While most studies have focused on the impact of climate change on the Aedes aegypti mosquito, another Aedes mosquito, Aedes albopictus, maybe the biggest beneficiary of global warming at this time. These flies breed at temperatures around 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit), so mild winters and warm early spring and fall seasons in North America and Europe are best. trends for them all year round. This allowed him to establish a wide presence in Europe and 36 states in the United States. In addition to heating, Because Aedes albopictus thrives in mild climates, like ours, the mosquito can easily move from one place to another through human transport,  researchers say, making it easy to spread to Europe. "Because the climate is less cold than Aedes aegypti, it can survive the winter and establish itself in the East Coast of the United States," said Erin Mordecai, an entomologist. infectious diseases of Stanford University, which transmit dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika, and other viruses.

The intensity of floods and Flooding in small containers is a good breeding ground for mosquitoes, according to researchers from the  University of Science and Technology in Mombasa and Stanford University. Studies also show that increasing humidity, urbanization, and human movement around the world are pushing the spread of mosquito populations, so the risk is expected to increase. dengue fever in America and other countries.  “Dengue vaccination has just started, but there are many problems. For example, Sanofi has discontinued its dengue vaccine (for children) due to low demand. We are fully prepared for a major dengue outbreak in the United States.

Environmental pollution also plays a role in the spread of mosquitoes. Researchers have shown that some so-called "container-feeding" mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti and the malaria mosquito Anopheles stephensi, like to breed in large amounts of plastic waste that people throw away, especially if there is debris in the rainwater. "That's why you have to worry about the little bits of dirt that have a little water that collects in them." But it's not just the lids and empty plastic bottles that attract mosquitoes. They find a home in nearly every human-made container, from old hats to flowerpots, and living spaces from backyards to backyards, he said, and Lahondel.  Interestingly, Lajondel found that mosquitoes Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti have learned to feed on a variety of ornamental plants and wildflowers in backyard gardens as a way to adapt and thrive in urban environments.  "By providing this source of sugar in our homes, we can contribute to life in many ways." But before you throw out the potted plants and dig up your backyard, fly researchers believe that politicians have a responsibility to do more to fight climate change and health organizations a the public to invest in vaccines and new methods of mosquito control. As scientists explore strategies ranging from killing mosquitoes to poison sugar baits to disinfecting mosquitoes through genetic engineering, there are many ways to reduce the burden on humans. "All of these ideas have different effects on mosquito populations, requiring specific species, but there is hope for the future," Lahondel said. "But the future may not be completely fly-free."

 Why is there no vaccine for West Nile virus?

Safe and highly effective vaccines for West Nile virus have been available for horses for the past 20 years. But for humans, there is currently none.

The sporadic nature of West Nile outbreaks has been one of the major challenges to designing trials of candidate vaccines, says Carolyn Gould, a medical officer with CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases.

But the need for a vaccine is urgent, says Paul Tambyah, president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, who has said its absence so far is down to "a lack of imagination".