Some examples of mosquito-borne diseases include Dengue fever, Malaria, Chikungunya fever, Zika virus, West Nile virus, and Yellow fever. ​

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• Dengue fever is spread to humans through the bite of an infected Aedes species (Ae. aegypti or Ae. albopictus) mosquito.  An estimated 400 million dengue infections occur worldwide each year, with about 96 million resulting in illness. Most cases of Dengue fever occur in tropical regions of the world, such as India, Southeast Asia, Southern China, Taiwan, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, Mexico, Africa, and Central and South America. Some symptoms of Dengue include nausea, vomiting, rashes, aches, and pains. These symptoms usually last two to seven days and most people will recover in a week's time, but a severe case of Dengue can be life-threatening within a few hours and often requires hospitalization. There is no specific medicine to treat Dengue, so it is important to rest, take  acetaminophen, and drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.

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• Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite. Malaria is one of the most severe public health problems worldwide as it is a leading cause of death and disease in many developing countries, where young children and pregnant women are the groups most affected. Malaria occurs mostly in poor, tropical and subtropical areas of the world, and Africa is the most affected region. Symptoms of malaria include being very sick with high fevers, shaking chills, and a flu-like illness. The uncomplicated malaria attack typically lasts six to ten hours. It consists of a cold stage (shivering), a hot stage (fever, headaches, vomiting; seizures in young children), and a sweating stage (sweats, return to normal temperature, tiredness). However, severe malaria occurs when infections are complicated by serious organ failures or abnormalities in the patient’s blood or metabolism.

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• Chikungunya virus is transmitted to people through the mosquito bites of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitos. Chikungunya virus cases are typically identified in countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans. People at risk for more severe disease include newborns infected around the time of birth, adults older than sixty-five years old, and people with medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease. Most people infected with chikungunya virus will develop some symptoms which usually begin three to seven days after being infected. Symptoms of Chikungunya include fevers, joint pain, headaches, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rashes. There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat chikungunya virus, but to treat the symptoms make sure to rest, drink fluids, take medicine such as Tylenol to reduce pain and fever, and do not take any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

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• Zika is spread mostly by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus). Zika outbreaks have been reported in the Pacific region, South and Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, and parts of south and southeast Asia. Most people infected with Zika will not have symptoms or will only have mild symptoms. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, headache, joint pain, Conjunctivitis (red eyes), and muscle pain. There is no vaccine for Zika, but the treatment process is the same as for someone who is infected with Chikungunya.

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• West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States. C. tarsalis is a main mosquito vector of WNV in the western United States and can feed on a variety of avian and mammalian species. Most people  (about eight out of ten) infected with West Nile virus do not develop any symptoms. About one in five people who are infected develop a fever with other symptoms such as headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rashes. About one in one hundred fifty people who are infected develop a severe illness affecting the central nervous system such as encephalitis or meningitis. No vaccine or specific antiviral treatments for West Nile virus infection are available, but over-the-counter pain relievers can be used to reduce fever and relieve some symptoms. In severe cases, patients often need to be hospitalized to receive supportive treatment, such as intravenous fluids, pain medication, and nursing care.

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• Yellow fever virus is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of infected Aedes or Haemagogus species mosquitoes. The yellow fever virus is found in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa and South America. The majority of people infected with yellow fever virus will either not have symptoms, or have mild symptoms and completely recover. Some people will develop yellow fever illness with initial symptoms including: sudden onset of fever, chills, severe headache, back pain, general body aches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness. Severe symptoms of Yellow fever are a high fever, yellow skin (known as jaundice), bleeding, shock, and organ failure. There is no medicine to treat or cure infection from yellow fever. For treatment, one should rest, drink fluids, and use pain relievers and medication to reduce fever and relieve aching. People with severe symptoms of yellow fever infection should be hospitalized for close observation and supportive care.

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*The source of all the information I referenced is the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.*