Unveiling the world of mosquitoes: A guide
Mosquitoes are one of the deadliest animals in the world, killing close to one million people a year by transmitting about 100 diseases.1,2
A bloodsucking ballet: Understanding female mosquitoes
In their quest to reproduce, the female mosquitoes of some species use needle-like proboscis to pierce the skin of various mammals, humans included.3,4 This act of feeding, accompanied by the injection of saliva, not only triggers itchy bumps but can also transmit diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, Zika, West Nile virus, Chikungunya, and dengue.1,5
Mosquitoes often lay their eggs on the surface of standing water. The eggs hatch into wiggly larvae that feed on tiny plants and animals in the water. Like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, the mosquito larvae form a hard case called a pupa, which hatches into a flying mosquito.6
The three culprits: Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex
There are over 3,000 species of mosquitoes, but three are particularly important in spreading disease to humans.7,8
Aedes: Flourishing in warmer climates, Aedes mosquitoes are notorious for spreading diseases like yellow fever, Zika virus, Chikungunya, and dengue.9
Anopheles: Found worldwide (except Antarctica), Anophele mosquitoes are infamous for transmitting malaria.10
Culex: The most widespread mosquito species worldwide, Culex mosquitoes can transmit encephalitis, West Nile virus, and lymphatic filariasis.11
The main type of Aedes mosquito that transmits dengue is Aedes aegypti. Another species called Aedes albopictus also, to a lesser extent, transmits dengue.12
The Aedes aegypti mosquito lives near people and breeds in artificial containers that hold water, like buckets, bowls, animal dishes, flowerpots and car tires. It feeds mostly during daylight and bites most early in the morning and just before sunset.12
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fighting the World’s Deadliest Animal. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/stories/2019/world-deadliest-animal.html. Accessed January 2024.
Keller MD, et al. Sci Rep. 2016;6:20936. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep20936. Accessed January 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What is a Mosquito?. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/about/what-is-a-mosquito.html. Accessed January 2024.
Dixon AR, Vondra I. Materials (Basel). 2022;15(13):4587. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/13/4587. Accessed January 2024.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. General Information about Mosquitoes. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/mosquitocontrol/general-information-about-mosquitoes. Accessed November 2023.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. Mosquito Life Cycle. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/mosquitocontrol/mosquito-life-cycle. Accessed November 2023.
Cantillo JF, Puerta L. Front Allergy. 2021;2:690406. Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/falgy.2021.690406/full. Accessed January 2024.
Dahmana H, Mediannikov O. Pathogens. 2020;9(4):310. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/9/4/310. Accessed January 2024.
Flores HA, O'Neill SL. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2018;16(8):508-518. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-018-0025-0. Accessed January 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Malaria. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/biology/index.html. Accessed January 2024.
Nchoutpouen E, et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019;13(4):e0007229. Available at: https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0007229. Accessed January 2024.
World Health Organization. Dengue and severe dengue. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed November 2023.
It’s time to talk about dengue
With dengue cases rising and no specific cure available, prevention is key1,2
Learn how to help protect yourself from mosquito bites and from dengue.
Contact your local health expert to talk about how to help prevent dengue.
- World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed February 2024.
- World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2023-DON498#. Accessed February 2024.
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Test your knowledge of dengue!
Can bites from male or female dengue-carrying mosquitoes infect humans?
Correct
Male mosquitoes feed on flower nectar and fruit juices and not blood.1 Only female mosquitoes feed on hosts such as humans, whose blood provides the protein they need to help their eggs develop.1
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you suspect you have symptoms of dengue or have questions about your risk.
Learn more about dengue.
The National Environment Agency. Vector Borne Diseases. Available at: https://www.nea.gov.sg/corporate-functions/resources/research/wolbachia-aedes-mosquito-suppression-strategy/male-mosquitoes-do-not-bite. Accessed January 2024.
Incorrect
Diseases such as dengue are not spread to humans by the bites of male Aedes mosquitoes; in fact, they don’t even bite humans.1 Only female mosquitoes feed on hosts such as humans, whose blood provides the protein they need to help their eggs develop.1
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you suspect you have symptoms of dengue or have questions about your risk.
Learn more about dengue or try again!
The National Environment Agency. Vector Borne Diseases. Available at: https://www.nea.gov.sg/corporate-functions/resources/research/wolbachia-aedes-mosquito-suppression-strategy/male-mosquitoes-do-not-bite. Accessed January 2024.
Explore our resources to learn more about the risk of dengue and how you could help protect yourself and your loved ones
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