Aiming at creating awareness about the dangers of mosquitoes, the ways by which we can protect ourselves from these diseases, and to rise together to combat these insects, World Mosquito Day is being observed on Sunday.
It is also meant to commemorate Sir Ronald Ross's discovery in 1897 that Anopheles mosquitoes transmit the malaria parasite to humans. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has been organising the annual event since the 1930s to mark the British doctor's work.
Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika, chikungunya and lymphatic filariasis pose a serious health threat worldwide.
In Bangladesh, the day comes amidst the worst-ever dengue outbreak in the country’s history.
The country confirmed its first case of the Zika virus in March 2016 and then, it witnessed one of the largest chikungunya outbreaks in 2017.
Malaria is endemic in at least 13 of 64 districts of Bangladesh, with over 17 million people at risk.
Dangers globally
Mosquito-borne diseases kill more than one million people and infect up to 700 million each year – almost one in ten people, says the World Mosquito Program.
Already in 2023, there have been more than three million dengue cases and over 1,500 dengue-related deaths globally.
Other than Bangladesh, Argentina and Peru have experienced the largest dengue outbreaks in their histories, while Paraguay has witnessed a sharp rise in chikungunya cases.
A BBC report in June said mosquitoes that carry viruses like dengue and chikungunya have moved into new parts of Europe, increasing the risk of illness.
Ins and outs of mosquitos
The word mosquito comes from a Spanish phrase that means "small fly." Mosquitoes, like bees, feed primarily on plant nectar. Contrary to popular belief, mosquitoes do not bite humans because they need to feed on human blood. Female mosquitoes drink blood to aid in developing their eggs before laying them. Male mosquitoes do not eat blood in any way.
Mosquitoes can sometimes be dangerous because of their capacity to carry and transmit diseases.
Scientists have known for a while that mosquitoes do not attack everyone equally. Research has suggested some people are mosquito magnets, due to their smell, while other experts have suggested ways people can protect themselves over the summer.
In long, hot summers with shorter periods of rain mosquitoes breed more frequently - meaning more of the insects than during cooler and drier spells.
Despite being so dangerous, we can't dispute that mosquitoes perform a crucial function in ecology as a food source for various creatures.
There are about 3,500 species of mosquito that live all over the world.
History, facts involving the day
On this day in 1897, Sir Ronald Ross made a breakthrough that would later earn him a Nobel Prize in Medicine when he found malaria parasites in dissected mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. By identifying mosquitoes as the agents that spread the parasite from person to person, Ross opened the way for us to reduce the risk of malaria infection by controlling the mosquito itself.
Since Ross’ landmark discovery, mosquito control strategies have made a huge impact on lessening the burden of malaria in endemic countries. In particular, the last decade has seen a concerted international effort to reduce the disease through mosquito control. Over 150 million long-lasting insecticidal bed nets have been distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and this, coupled with improved testing and treatments, such as the anti-malarial drug artemisinin, are estimated to have averted over six million deaths from malaria in the last 15 years.
Despite these successes, nearly half of the world's population was at risk of malaria in 2021, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 619,000 in 2021 compared to 625,000 in 2020.
Mosquitoes turning predators in Bangladesh?
Over the last several decades, various initiatives to prevent the spread of mosquitoes have turned out unsuccessful in the country. As a result, mosquitoes are not killed by sprays, coils or other insecticides. Experts predict that mosquitoes will cause more trouble in the future.
Entomologist Prof Kabirul Bashar says some 123 species of mosquitoes have been recorded so far in Bangladesh. Of them, 14 species could be found in and around Dhaka city.
On the other hand, 200 species of mosquitoes spread diseases to the human body, but the number is 10-12 in Bangladesh.
As a single creature, mosquitoes are responsible for the most human deaths worldwide. “It is important not to kill mosquitoes but to ensure that mosquitoes do not breed,” said the researcher when asked about the most effective method of fighting against mosquitoes.
The situation has turned so deadly that the High Court on August 13 ordered the authorities concerned to take measures to establish a Vector Control Research Centre to conduct studies on pesticides, equipment used to control disease-carrying mosquitoes and their pathogenesis.
Soaring dengue toll in Bangladesh
As another 13 people died of dengue in 24 hours till Saturday morning, the fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 466 this year.
The previous highest annual toll was 291 last year.
So far, the government has recorded 97,860 dengue cases and 89,499 recoveries this year.
