WORLD MOSQUITO DAY

August 20th recognizes World Mosquito Day marking the occasion when Sir Ronald Ross discovered that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans.

#WorldMosquitoDay

Sir Ronald Ross worked the Indian Medical Service when he made his groundbreaking discovery of the malarial parasite in the gastrointestinal tract of a female mosquito. The discovery allowed scientist to better understand the role of mosquitoes in the malaria. Ross's discovery also provided a starting point for prevention. In 1902. Ross became the first British person to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine.

6 Mosquito-Born Diseases

There are over three thousand species of mosquitoes in the world today. Of those, only about three cause serious diseases. Some of the most prevalent diseases are:

malaria
dengue fever
West Nile
yellow fever
Zika virus
encephalitis

HOW TO OBSERVE #WorldMosquitoDay

Since the advent of World Mosquito Day, scientists and health agencies have pursued the prevention of mosquito-borne diseases. The most recommended approaches are:

Use insect repellent with DEET. Other active ingredients that repel mosquitoes include:Picaridin IR3535 Oil of lemon eucalyptus Para-menthane-dio 2-undecanone
Wear long sleeves and pants.
Keep windows and doors closed. Use screens and air conditioning when available. Sleep under mosquito netting.

Take precautions. Learn the symptoms of mosquito-borne illnesses. Remove standing water from around your yard and keep lawns trimmed. Explore how researchers discover new approaches to dealing with mosquito issues. Find out what you can do for your community, home, and the environment. Visit the CDC website for more information.

Use #WorldMosquitoDay to share on social media.