Malaria, transmitted by mosquito bite
The mosquito is the most lethal animal in the world, although we do not create it, since it is able to end the life of more than 725.000 people every year. In addition, mosquitoes are found throughout the planet, except in Antarctica, being one of the species that best suits any problem, such as the transmitter mosquito of the Anopheles malaria which has developed immunity against insecticides and has changed its behavior:Now wait to chop early and outside the houses to avoid mosquito nets and fumigated houses. As the entomologist of the Global Health Institute of Barcelona (Isglobal), Krijn Paaijmans, points out, “mosquitoes are difficult creatures. They are constantly avoiding anything we do against them ’. It should also be noted that mosquitoes are one of the species of living beings that have been living on earth for the longest. This is why and for its reproductive capacity that the mosquito is the virus transmission par excellence and harmful parasites for humans.
Today, four of the diseases transmitted by mosquitoes are malaria, dengue, yellow fever and Zica virus. Ahead they are explained more detail:
Paludism or malaria is a disease caused by a plasmodium parasite, which is transmitted by the sting of an infected mosquito. The Plasmodium Vivax and P parasites. Falciparum are the most common in malaria, while P. malariae and p. Ovale are less known parasites. Of all these, the infection acquired by P. Falciparum is the most fatal if it is not treated in time and could have serious renal and brain complications, and could even cause death.
Only the genus Anopheles del Mosquito transmits malaria. This disease has a very high mortality rate, kill a child every 2 minutes. In 2015 it was the year with more cases of malaria registered with a total of 212 million cases and 429.000 deaths from the parasite. Approximately half of the planet runs the risk of contracting malaria, although the transmission rate varies depending on factors such as rainfalls, the proximity of breeding places and mosquito species present in the area. Finally, it should be noted that not only affects health but also in economics, being able to reduce by 1.3% the economic growth rates of countries with the most likely to be infected.
The symptoms of malaria are usually fever, headache, chills and vomiting, which appear 10 or 15 days after infection. Among the population at risk due to this disease are travelers or tourists from popular areas, non -immune and pregnant diseases, since they run a high probability of abortion. Although there is a treatment with which to reduce its duration and its percentage of mortality, this treatment consists of combinations of artemisinine (a powerful and fast blood schizonticide) with other drugs (the so -called combined treatments based on artemisinine). However, the increasing potential of parasite resistance to these medications is undermining efforts to control malaria. There are no effective alternatives to artemisinins that are already in the market or that are in the final phases of the drug development process.
WHO recommends to fight this disease the use of sprinkled mosquito nets, rapid treatment at 24 hours and give pregnant women in very endemic areas of the mosquito anofeles doses of sulfadoxin-pyimetamine to periodically eliminate the parasites that may exist in theplacenta.
Dengue is an infectious disease produced by Dengue virus (DENV). It belongs to the genus Flavivirus, of the Flaviviradae family that, at the same time, corresponds to the arbovirus group (virus transmitted by arthropods). There are four serotypes called DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4. Infection by a serotype produces permanent immunity against reinfection by that serotype. Successive infection by two different serotypes is a risk factor to develop the serious forms of the disease. This disease, continues to assume in many countries of America a serious problem in the public health of the affected countries such as: Brazil, Honduras, Belize, Colombia, Salvador, Paraguay, Guatemala and Mexico.
This disease is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito and the Aedes Albopictus, the females being mainly the carriers of the virus. The mosquito pica to an infected person and ingests the blood with the dengue virus, which is incubated in the mosquito for a period of 8 to 12 days, then the mosquito begins to transmit the virus chopping to other people.
This disease during its development has 3 phases:
- The first is the feverish phase that, as the name implies, is a phase in which fever develops during the first 2-7 days of infection, in addition to being able to develop other problems since high fever can be associated with neurological disorders and seizures in theSmall children.
- The second phase is known as the critical phase that occurs when the fever is about to disappear. During it, capillary permeability and hematocrit levels can increase, producing the consequent hemorrhages and serious problems in organs.
- The third phase. The appetite is recovered, gastrointestinal symptoms improve, hemodynamic state is stabilized and diuresis increases.
In recent years dengue has acquired more importance, since cases have become 390 million infected in a year and, also, because 39 billion people are in risk areas where it is possible to infect. In addition to the problem that infected tourists can transport the virus to other regions. In 2019 a strong increase in numerous regions from all over the world has been notified, notifying new outbreaks in Africa, in regions such as Congo and Tanzania.
Although there is an effective virus vaccine the main problem is that the virus expands faster than we can neutralize it with the vaccine. Yellow fever is an acute, hemorrhagic viral disease, transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The term ‘yellow’ refers to the jaundice that some patients present. A small proportion of infected patients have serious symptoms and, approximately, half of these cases die within 7 to 10 days. It is located in areas such as Africa, South America and Central America. This disease is transmitted by an arbovirus of the genus Flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes of the genres Aedes and Haemagogus.
For this disease there are two forms of transmission, one is the jungle transmission and another urban transmission. In the jungle transmission, an uninfected mosquito when itching an infected monkey becomes a mosquito carrier of the virus and, this mosquito is able to infect humans and other monkeys. When transmitted to a human, the urban transmission cycle begins, since the mosquitoes that inhabit residential areas bite infected people becoming carrier mosquitoes, which infect each person who pique.
This virus has an incubation period of 2-3 days and, after this two phases happen:
- The first phase consists of fever, muscle aches, especially back, headaches, chills, loss of appetite and nausea or vomiting.;Much of the people are able to combat this phase.
- The second phase known as toxic phase, the infected have high fever, jaundice and abdominal pain with vomiting and deterioration of renal function. Half of those who enter this phase die and the other half recovers without damage to the organs.
Finally, the Zika virus is a flavvirus transmitted by mosquitoes that was first identified in Uganda in 1947, but in monkeys. Subsequently it has been transmitted to humans giving the first case in 1952 in Uganda and in the Republic of Tanzania. After this, several outbreaks have been given throughout the world being the most affected areas Africa and South America. It is transmitted by the infected mosquito of the genus Aedes, mainly Aedes aegypti. This is living with humans in tropical and subtropical regions. This species pica during the day, reach their maximum early point in the morning and at the end of the afternoon/night. This is the same mosquito that transmits dengue, chikunguña and yellow fever. Although the virus is also transmitted from the mother to the fetus during pregnancy, through sexual contact, blood transfusion and blood products and organ transplantation. In pregnant women can cause microcephaly and other malformations to the fetus. This infection is also associated with children and adults to an increased risk of neurological complications, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, neuropathy and myelitis.
The biggest problem of these diseases is that they focus on humid and warm areas where mosquitoes reside, which are Africa, Central America and South America. These areas also coincide with the world areas with the highest poverty index, so most of those affected cannot be allowed, hence these diseases have both mortality index and that a vaccine is not able to solve this immense problemthat these diseases generate. In addition, these areas, having a low quality of life, the symptoms and problems that these viruses produce become mortal for many, since they have a very weak immune system.
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