The True Terror of Mosquitoes: A Story of Mosquito-Borne Infectious Diseases. Be Careful When Traveling Abroad

The true terror of mosquitoes is not that they are itchy or that their buzzing sound keeps you awake. Mosquitoes are terrifying creatures that carry pathogens and threaten human life and health.

Mosquitoes are the creatures that claim the most human lives

Worldwide, more than 700,000 people die annually from arthropod-borne infectious diseases, including those transmitted by mosquitoes. Of these, more than 600,000 deaths are due to malaria, which is transmitted by mosquitoes (WHO Fact Sheet). By transmitting pathogens such as viruses and malaria parasites, mosquitoes are
humanity's greatest enemy, claiming more human lives than any other creature.

Risks in Japan

Infectious diseases caused by mosquitoes are not a thing of the distant past in Japan either. In 2014, there was a domestic outbreak of dengue fever, the first in about 70 years, centered in Tokyo.
One must also be cautious of Japanese encephalitis, which is transmitted by the Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquito. Thanks to the widespread use of vaccines, the number of patients in Japan has decreased, but the virus is still found every year in areas with active livestock farming, and cases are reported.
Since dengue fever, West Nile fever, Zika fever, and chikungunya fever are transmitted by mosquitoes such as the Asian tiger mosquito, which widely inhabit Japan, there is a significant possibility of future outbreaks.

Many mosquito-borne infectious diseases have no specific treatment, and if you contract them, care is primarily symptomatic. Furthermore, there are almost no effective vaccines except for Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever.
For mosquito-borne infectious diseases, 'not getting bitten by mosquitoes' is the most effective method of prevention and an important countermeasure.

Check infectious disease information when traveling abroad

Many cases of imported infectious diseases, where people contract diseases abroad and bring the pathogens back to Japan, are reported every year.
In particular, dengue fever has been spreading globally in recent years, and the number of infected people is increasing year by year. When traveling abroad, be sure tocheck the latest local infectious disease information on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Quarantine Station website. If infectious diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, such as dengue fever or malaria, are prevalent in the area,
don't forget to take measures such as bringing insect repellent!

To prevent the increase of mosquitoes

Use insect repellent applied to the skin, aerosols, and mosquito coils and other insecticides appropriately for the situation to prevent mosquito bites, but also be careful to prevent the increase of mosquitoes in your daily life.
To do this, first, it is important to prevent the breeding of 'larvae' (wrigglers), which are the larvae of mosquitoes.
Wrigglers grow by eating organic matter in the water. They can also grow in water that collects in old tires, flower vases at graves, water trays for potted plants, empty cans, and depressions in rain covers. Try to eliminate such breeding grounds for wrigglers around your home.
Also, adult mosquitoes hide in bushes and woods, living on flower nectar and plant sap. It is also important to maintain weeds and other areas that serve as hiding places for mosquitoes.