Health

World Mosquito Day to Raise Awareness of the Importance of Mosquito Control

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (PRWEB)

In honor of World Mosquito Day, observed annually on August 20, the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) is working to increase awareness of the importance of environmentally responsible mosquito control and encourages the public to visit the AMCA website, http://www.mosquito.org, for important mosquito information.

World Mosquito Day originated in 1897 to commemorate the research work of Dr. Ronald Ross of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. After dissecting mosquitoes known to have fed on a patient with malaria, Ross discovered the malaria parasite in the stomach wall of the mosquito. Through further research using birds, Ross was able to ascertain the entire lifecycle of the malarial parasite, including its presence in the mosquito’s salivary glands. Ross confirmed that avian malaria is transmitted from infected birds to healthy ones by the bite of a mosquito, a finding that suggested the disease’s mode of transmission within humans. For his findings, Ross is credited with the discovery of the transmission of malaria by the mosquito, and was honored with a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1902.

Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 350-500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide each year, and more than one million people die, most of them young children in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. “While we no longer contend with malaria in the United States,” says David Brown, AMCA Technical Advisor, “mosquitoes remain a national public health concern. We face a variety of mosquito-transmitted diseases that afflict not only humans, but animals as well, including West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis, or dog heartworm disease.” In addition, Zika virus has infected millions in the Western Hemisphere over the past few years and now threatens the United States.

Brown states, “Mosquitoes remain the number one killer of humans on this planet. As humans come into increasing contact with exotic diseases as travel, trade, and tourism proliferate, it is essential to appreciate the vital role mosquito control efforts play in keeping our children, families, and communities safe from preventable disease.”

AMCA President Ary Faraji, Ph.D., agrees and further states, “The world needs mosquito control. Without it, human health, human food supplies, and overall human welfare would be unrecognizably poor.”

AMCA is the primary resource for mosquito and mosquito control information in the U.S. and increasingly internationally. The AMCA website, http://www.mosquito.org, contains valuable information, such as tips for controlling mosquitoes around the home, what attracts mosquitoes, information on repellents, and more.

The American Mosquito Control Association is an international, scientific association of nearly 1,500 public health professionals dedicated to preserving the public’s health and wellbeing through safe, environmentally sound mosquito control. Founded in 1935, membership extends to more than 50 countries and includes individuals and public agencies engaged in mosquito control, mosquito research, and related activities.

For more information about AMCA or World Mosquito Day, contact AMCA Headquarters:

phone: 916-444-3568; amca@mosquito.org or visit the website at http://www.mosquito.org.

AMCA Technical Advisor David Brown is available for interviews at (916) 417-1966‬ or

dabrownsoj@gmail.com

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