This is still the time of year that mosquitoes like to feast. In Florida, mosquito season runs from March to October. They’re most active when temperatures are in the upper 70s to 90s, which, in Florida, means they’re buzzing nearly 24 hours a day.
While it’s really annoying and even painful to get a mosquito bite, there is a significant health risk associated with these pests as well.
Climate warming is contributing to hotter temperatures and rainier seasons — perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Warmer temperatures extend the mosquito season and increase the number of breeding sites, while heavy rainfall creates stagnant water pools where mosquitoes can lay their eggs.
So what is the health risk with mosquitoes?
Mosquitoes are like tiny, flying vampires. They like to bite us to get a little bit of our blood. But here’s the tricky part: when they bite, they can also carry germs that make us sick.
A “vector-borne disease” is a special kind of illness that mosquitoes and other bugs can give us. Think of a “vector” as a messenger. The mosquito is the messenger that carries germs from one place to another. When it bites you, it can pass these germs into your body, making you sick.
Mosquitoes are the biggest carriers of these diseases because they bite lots of people and animals. They can spread diseases like:
- West Nile Virus: It can make you feel like you have the flu.
- Zika Virus: It can make your skin itchy and sometimes hurt your joints.
- Dengue Fever: It can make you feel very tired and have a lot of pain.
While the odds of contracting a vector-borne disease from a mosquito bite are generally low for most people, they can be higher in specific regions and under certain conditions, like a warmer climate.
Understanding Vector-borne diseases
Vector-borne diseases are illnesses caused by pathogens and parasites that are transmitted to humans or animals through vectors. Vectors are living organisms, usually insects like mosquitoes and ticks or arthropods, that carry and transmit these pathogens between hosts. The most common vectors include mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and flies.
How climate warming is increasing risk
As climate warming progresses, experts predict that cases of mosquito-borne viruses will likely increase. The rise in global temperatures and changing precipitation patterns create more favorable conditions for mosquitoes to thrive and spread diseases. Diseases such as West Nile virus, Zika virus, and dengue fever may become more prevalent and pose greater risks to public health.
As mosquito season continues, public health officials in the U.S. are monitoring a rise in illnesses caused by mosquitoes. This year, there have been at least eighteen deaths from West Nile virus, including three recent cases in Wisconsin and Illinois. There have also been six cases of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), with one death, and dengue cases reported in several states. The viruses causing these illnesses are transmitted through mosquito bites.
Climate warming is increasing the risk of vector-borne diseases in several ways:
- Longer Breeding Seasons: Warmer temperatures extend the breeding season for mosquitoes and other vectors. This means they have more time to reproduce and increase their populations.
- More Breeding Sites: Increased rainfall and higher temperatures create more standing water, such as puddles, ponds, and containers, which serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. More water means more places for mosquitoes to lay eggs and for larvae to develop.
- Expanded Range: As temperatures rise, mosquitoes and other vectors can survive in regions where they previously could not. This expands their range into new areas, potentially bringing diseases to places that were once less affected.
- Increased Activity: Warmer weather can make mosquitoes more active and increase the likelihood of them coming into contact with people. This means more opportunities for them to bite and transmit diseases.
- Higher Transmission Rates: Some diseases spread more quickly in warmer temperatures because the pathogens inside the vectors (like viruses) develop and multiply faster. This can lead to higher transmission rates of diseases.
Overall, climate warming creates more favorable conditions for vectors to thrive and spread diseases, increasing the risk to human health.
We may think of sharks or lions and tigers as the most dangerous animals in the world, but it’s actually the mosquito that has caused the most devastation to human populations throughout history.
How to protect yourself and your family
It’s important to take preventive measures such as using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, and eliminating standing water around your home. Staying informed about local mosquito activity and outbreaks can also help you stay ahead of potential health risks.
By understanding the connection between climate warming and mosquito-borne diseases, we can better prepare and protect ourselves against the evolving threats posed by these persistent pests.
The doctors are ready to answer your questions
At the 2024 Annual Florida Climate Conference: Climate & Human Health on November 14 and 15 at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Campus, top medical minds and experts will join our community to address the connection between vector-borne diseases and climate warming in the following ways:
- Linking Climate and Health: Experts will explain how climate warming impacts public health by creating more favorable conditions for vectors like mosquitoes and ticks. They’ll discuss how rising temperatures and increased rainfall contribute to more breeding sites and extended activity periods for these pests.
- Disease Trends: They’ll provide data on how climate change has influenced the spread and prevalence of vector-borne diseases. This might include information on recent outbreaks, shifts in disease distribution, and how warmer temperatures accelerate the life cycles of pathogens.
- Case Studies: Experts will present case studies highlighting specific vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, or West Nile virus, showing how climate factors have affected their transmission. They might use examples from different regions to illustrate these trends.
- Public Health Implications: The discussion will cover the health impacts of increased vector-borne diseases, including the strain on healthcare systems, the potential for higher incidence rates, and the need for improved surveillance and response strategies.
- Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies: Experts will discuss strategies to mitigate the risks, such as enhancing vector control programs, improving public health infrastructure, and developing early warning systems. They will also talk about the importance of integrating climate and health data to better predict and manage disease outbreaks.
- Future Projections: They’ll provide projections on how vector-borne disease patterns might change with ongoing climate warming and what that means for future public health challenges.
This is an interactive conference made for the public and our line up of doctors will spend time answering everyone’s questions as well.
These doctors will also discuss how the warming climate is impacting mental health, air quality, climate migration and more.
Don’t miss this important discussion on climate warming and human health! Learn more and buy tickets here.