What is the world’s most dangerous animal? Is it a cat, a shark, a snake, or a spider? It’s not any of these, though. A tiny bug that can spread deadly diseases to people and animals is the most dangerous animal in the world. Bugs are what it is.
A report from the World Health Organization says that mosquitoes kill more than 700,000 people every year. Malaria, dengue, yellow fever, Zika, West Nile, and other viruses that can make you very sick or even kill you can be carried by them and spread.
The Aedes aegypti, which is also called the yellow fever mosquito, is one of the most well-known insects. This mosquito is from Africa, but it has spread to many warm and subtropical places around the world, including some parts of the US. It is the major way that dengue, yellow fever, Zika, and chikungunya get spread.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito also comes to Arizona during certain times of the year and is a very major health risk to people who live there. The mosquito usually comes to the state in late spring or early summer, when it’s warmer and the monsoon rains make it a good place to lay its eggs. It can live in both cities and rural areas, and it can lay its eggs in flower pots, tires, buckets, and bird baths, or any other device that holds water.
Just What is So Bad About the Aedes Aegypti Mosquito?
The Aedes aegypti bug is dangerous in more than one way. First, it is very active and can change quickly. It can bite more than once and feed on different hosts, which makes it more likely to spread diseases. Insecticides don’t work on it, and it can adapt to different temperatures and environments.
Second, it’s very picky and sneaky. It bites people more than other animals, and it’s most busy during the day, when people aren’t as likely to wear bug spray or protective clothing. It can bite both inside and outside, and it likes to hide in dark, shady places like closets, under beds, and behind curtains.
Third, it spreads quickly and is very dangerous. It can carry and spread more than one virus at the same time. This is called co-infection or coinfection, and it can make it harder to diagnose and treat illnesses. Some of the diseases it can cause are very bad and can get worse over time, like hemorrhagic fever, neurological disorders, birth problems, and even death.
How Can We Keep the Aedes Aegypti Bug From Coming Back?
The best way to stop and manage the Aedes aegypti mosquito is to get rid of places where it can breed and protect ourselves from getting bitten. We can follow these suggestions:
Get rid of any standing water. If you have flower pots, tires, buckets, or bird baths that can hold water, empty them, drain them, or cover them. Often change the water in bowls and sprinklers for pets. Keep your gutters and drains clean so they don’t get clogged. Fix lines and faucets that are leaking or cracked.
Put up nets and screens. To keep mosquitoes out, put screens on your windows and doors or fix the ones that are broken. Cover beds, cribs, and wagons with mosquito nets, especially for babies and little kids.
Wear clothes and bug spray. Use bug sprays with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on skin and clothes that are uncovered. Do what it says on the package and reapply as needed. When you go outside, put on long-sleeved clothes, long pants, socks, and shoes. Do not wear perfumes, colognes, or dark colors that can draw mosquitoes.
Get help from a doctor. See a doctor right away if you get a fever, headache, rash, joint pain, or red eyes, which are all signs of diseases that the Aedes aegypti mosquito can spread. Tell the doctor about the places you’ve been and the bugs you may have encountered. Get checked out and given the right care. Do not get bitten by mosquitoes again to keep the disease from spreading to other people.
In Conclusion
It will soon be back in Arizona. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the most dangerous animal in the world. It can spread diseases that kill millions of people around the world. We need to know the risks and do something to stop and get rid of this bug. We can keep ourselves, our families, and our neighborhoods safe from this small but dangerous enemy if we do this.