What's The Big Deal About A Few Mosquitoes In Louisville?

If you have ever been on a camping trip on a warm, humid night, then you are probably familiar with the horror of coming face-to-face (or arm-to-face, or leg to face, or back of the neck-to-face) with a swarm of mosquitoes. It is NO fun. Swatting at these blood-thirsty predators can not only ruin your camping trip, it can lead to itchy welts that plague you for days, or even weeks, if you lack the self-discipline to stop scratching; but a ruined camping trip or itchy welts are the least of your potential problems when it comes to mosquitoes!

It's true. Mosquitoes are more than just maddening and annoying; they can actually be very dangerous. Well, to be clear, the insects themselves are not dangerous, but the diseases they are known to carry can be very dangerous.

• Malaria. More than 200 million people, worldwide, are infected with malaria every year. More than 2 million die from the illness. But in the United States, the incidence is far lower with fewer than 12 people a year dying from malaria thanks to ongoing mosquito abatement efforts provided throughout the country. Some of the symptoms of malaria include fever, chills, headache, nausea, and vomiting.
• West Nile Virus. Here in the U.S. in 2015, 1,923 cases of West Nile Virus went on record. And 106 of these cases proved fatal. In other years, as many as 9,862 cases have been reported and as many as 264 deaths have resulted. Symptoms of West Nile can include fever, body aches, rash, disorientation, and paralysis.
• Dengue Fever. Worldwide, it is estimated that between 50 and 100 million people contract dengue fever, of which 22,000 cases result in death! In the United States, the CDC has made all nationally diagnosed dengue infections reportable by law. Symptoms can include fever as high as 106 degrees, widespread rash, severe abdominal pain, and bleeding.
• Chikungunya Virus. This virus, which is also potentially lethal, has been reported in all but three states in the U.S. Symptoms of chikungunya include fever, joint pain or rash.
• Zika Virus. A relatively new virus, called Zika, is fastly increasing in Central and South America, as well as being reported around the country here in the United States. The Zika virus differs from the other diseases in that it is primarily a threat to unborn babies. If a pregnant woman is bitten by a mosquito carrying the Zika virus, her baby is at risk of developing a range of birth defects including microcephaly, which is a congenital condition characterized by abnormal smallness of the head and incomplete brain development.

What can we can do to protect ourselves from mosquito threats?

If you live in the Louisville area, and you would like to join in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases, Action Pest Control can help. Our professional, licensed staff will inspect your yard for breeding grounds and design a comprehensive mosquito control program which will eliminate those breeding grounds and reduce the number of mosquitoes encroaching from other areas. Mosquitoes are not only annoying and maddening, they can pose threats to our health as well. Take action and get Action today.