The first time I heard fans suggested here was a "Duh" moment. All those years of citronella candles and tiki torches--and it turns out a couple of oscillators that also provide a cool breeze were all we needed. "Mosquitoes aren't strong fliers" is also pretty funny when you think about it.
For more control in the yard, mosquito dunk traps are a good alternative to spraying. Put some straw in a bucket, cover with water so it will ferment a little, and it becomes an irresistible place for mosquitoes to lay eggs. Add a "mosquito dunk" (a little smaller than a hockey puck, sold at hardware stores or online), which kills the larvae, cover with a screen, and place some distance from the house/patio. It attracts them away from you, and stops their reproduction, without harming pollinators.
If we had point of care testing for West Nile Virus infections in primary care and urgent care settings we would pick up so many more cases.
I’m also guessing Dr Fauci was diagnosed because either he suggested the test as an ID specialist, or his 103 fever sparked a good work up. Most cases are missed like you said.
Mosquito dunks are good for very local control, too - and more targeted with minimal collateral harm to other insects.
Congrats on a clear, epic based and rather comprehensive overview of mosquito based diseases in the US. However, given the stature of the YLE platform, the current controversies about systemic public health measures (specifically anti-vax rhetoric and the lack of emphasis on improving ventilation for COVID prevention) controlling infectious disease spread, and the abdication of leadership by the CDC, this discussion should have included an analysis of the extent and benefits ( and concerns) about the many well accepted and necessary airborne insecticide programs which are generally under appreciated and systemically protect us from much worse circumstances.
you wrote: "abdication of leadership by the CDC" Do you mean the retirement of the previous CDC director? If not, what do you mean by that? Where has the leadership failed?
Thank you for this topic. I live in Austin and I am continually struggling with controlling mosquitos. Helpful article. Just curious if you have heard of, tried, or what your opinion might be on the "mosquito bucket of doom". (if you google mosquito bucket of doom, there are instructions of what to do.) I have tried it out of desperation in trying anything and wanting to be environmentally friendly. So having tried it out for 2 summers now, it seems to work/be helpful. I've been thinking of sharing how to do it with my neighbors, but would love to hear your scientific input before doing so. Thank you! Erica Stremlau, DVM Austin, TX
Of note the idea that the second dengue infection tends to be more severe may not hold up across various populations - Sharon Avrami, Tomer Hoffman, Eyal Meltzer, Yaniv Lustig, Eli Schwartz, Comparison of clinical and laboratory parameters of primary vs secondary dengue fever in travellers, Journal of Travel Medicine, Volume 30, Issue 7, October 2023, taad129
Check out "Immunologic" a substack by Andrea Love. She recently wrote all about ticks/Lyme Disease in May - immunologic@substack.com. I subscribe to the free version and get a lot of great info from her.
Excellent information as always! Has any research been done to study the transmission effects if one uses those bite suction removers? They intrigue me but wondering if it’s a gimmick or just to stop the itch which may be reason enough to use especially for children. Thanks so much!!
"While the U.S. does have a dengue vaccine, it’s approved only for children ages 9 to 16 who live in places where dengue is endemic, including Puerto Rico, American Samoa or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
What’s more, children can get the vaccine only if they’ve previously had a dengue infection. That’s because if a person were to get vaccinated and then get their first dengue infection, they still run the risk of getting very sick, just as someone gets sicker from their second infection. Since most Americans have not had dengue, “that vaccine is not very useful” for most, Ko said."
Does this vaccine reduce the risk of a child getting dengue a second time? I don't know how that could be proven or tested for, due to the asymptomatic cases where a person does not know they have it. Sounds like it could make dengue worse if given before the initial infection. That would be a reason to not give it to all children.
Why is it only for children? I'm sure you know the answer to that. I'm not going to search around to try and find out.
For many years now in Brazil and a few years now in the U.S. genetically modified mosquitos have been introduced to try and reduce the population of this type of mosquito. The promoters and manufacturers say they do reduce populations But ever since their introduction in Brazil dengue has shot to new heights, and as your article show, it's increasing in the U.S. There is no evidence they have helped even if they have cut down on the number of misquotes to a small degree. And there are always risks if you do genetic manipulations on creatures in the wild.
Result of 30 seconds on DuckDuckGo: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/dengue-vaccines I would assume it wasn't mentioned because there are cheaper, more readily available, more effective, and safer prophylactic measures anyone can take. And, of course, nobody has mentioned genetically-modified mosquitoes here except you; not sure why that's relevant.
That's opposed to something you once heard from a guy with no credentials in actual human medicine. No shade on the late Dr. Pimentel, mind you; he was an important voice in his area of expertise (insect ecology), but when it comes to one's health, I'm old-fashioned enough to suggest one ought to pay more attention to research conducted medical doctors and epidemiologists. I honestly don't understand why I so often see presumably reasonable people deciding to take the advice of one person vs. a ton of scientific research.
One would think we would have learned that lesson after all the self-anointed infectious disease "experts" spreading COVID misinformation with few or no credentials or experience in the area.
The first time I heard fans suggested here was a "Duh" moment. All those years of citronella candles and tiki torches--and it turns out a couple of oscillators that also provide a cool breeze were all we needed. "Mosquitoes aren't strong fliers" is also pretty funny when you think about it.
For more control in the yard, mosquito dunk traps are a good alternative to spraying. Put some straw in a bucket, cover with water so it will ferment a little, and it becomes an irresistible place for mosquitoes to lay eggs. Add a "mosquito dunk" (a little smaller than a hockey puck, sold at hardware stores or online), which kills the larvae, cover with a screen, and place some distance from the house/patio. It attracts them away from you, and stops their reproduction, without harming pollinators.
https://www.popsci.com/diy/how-to-build-a-mosquito-kill-bucket/
I came here to suggest mosquito buckets as well. I’d love to see an overview of the scientific studies on these.
If we had point of care testing for West Nile Virus infections in primary care and urgent care settings we would pick up so many more cases.
I’m also guessing Dr Fauci was diagnosed because either he suggested the test as an ID specialist, or his 103 fever sparked a good work up. Most cases are missed like you said.
Mosquito dunks are good for very local control, too - and more targeted with minimal collateral harm to other insects.
Thank you Doc! We now have to worry about "Sloth Fever?!" As a Floridian, you know we're gonna have to deal with this one. LOL.
Congrats on a clear, epic based and rather comprehensive overview of mosquito based diseases in the US. However, given the stature of the YLE platform, the current controversies about systemic public health measures (specifically anti-vax rhetoric and the lack of emphasis on improving ventilation for COVID prevention) controlling infectious disease spread, and the abdication of leadership by the CDC, this discussion should have included an analysis of the extent and benefits ( and concerns) about the many well accepted and necessary airborne insecticide programs which are generally under appreciated and systemically protect us from much worse circumstances.
you wrote: "abdication of leadership by the CDC" Do you mean the retirement of the previous CDC director? If not, what do you mean by that? Where has the leadership failed?
Thank you for this topic. I live in Austin and I am continually struggling with controlling mosquitos. Helpful article. Just curious if you have heard of, tried, or what your opinion might be on the "mosquito bucket of doom". (if you google mosquito bucket of doom, there are instructions of what to do.) I have tried it out of desperation in trying anything and wanting to be environmentally friendly. So having tried it out for 2 summers now, it seems to work/be helpful. I've been thinking of sharing how to do it with my neighbors, but would love to hear your scientific input before doing so. Thank you! Erica Stremlau, DVM Austin, TX
Of note the idea that the second dengue infection tends to be more severe may not hold up across various populations - Sharon Avrami, Tomer Hoffman, Eyal Meltzer, Yaniv Lustig, Eli Schwartz, Comparison of clinical and laboratory parameters of primary vs secondary dengue fever in travellers, Journal of Travel Medicine, Volume 30, Issue 7, October 2023, taad129
Great article. Can you please write one about nature’s other “ dirty needle”, tick borne diseases? I read 300,000 infections/year!
Thanks for the suggestion! Here is the latest YLE post on it: https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/bite-sized-threats-of-ticks?utm_source=publication-search
Check out "Immunologic" a substack by Andrea Love. She recently wrote all about ticks/Lyme Disease in May - immunologic@substack.com. I subscribe to the free version and get a lot of great info from her.
Excellent information as always! Has any research been done to study the transmission effects if one uses those bite suction removers? They intrigue me but wondering if it’s a gimmick or just to stop the itch which may be reason enough to use especially for children. Thanks so much!!
Thanks for this information!
Another fun fact re mosquitos and EEE: https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2024/aug/28/instagram-posts/video-doesnt-show-mosquitoes-released-from-helicop/?utm_source=PolitiFact&utm_campaign=bc46c1b97f-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_08_28_10_58&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-bc46c1b97f-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D
You didn't mention vaccines, which is surprising. Here's a quote on that:
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/dengue-fever-climate-change-mosquitos-tropical-disease-rcna149366
"While the U.S. does have a dengue vaccine, it’s approved only for children ages 9 to 16 who live in places where dengue is endemic, including Puerto Rico, American Samoa or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
What’s more, children can get the vaccine only if they’ve previously had a dengue infection. That’s because if a person were to get vaccinated and then get their first dengue infection, they still run the risk of getting very sick, just as someone gets sicker from their second infection. Since most Americans have not had dengue, “that vaccine is not very useful” for most, Ko said."
Does this vaccine reduce the risk of a child getting dengue a second time? I don't know how that could be proven or tested for, due to the asymptomatic cases where a person does not know they have it. Sounds like it could make dengue worse if given before the initial infection. That would be a reason to not give it to all children.
Why is it only for children? I'm sure you know the answer to that. I'm not going to search around to try and find out.
For many years now in Brazil and a few years now in the U.S. genetically modified mosquitos have been introduced to try and reduce the population of this type of mosquito. The promoters and manufacturers say they do reduce populations But ever since their introduction in Brazil dengue has shot to new heights, and as your article show, it's increasing in the U.S. There is no evidence they have helped even if they have cut down on the number of misquotes to a small degree. And there are always risks if you do genetic manipulations on creatures in the wild.
Result of 30 seconds on DuckDuckGo: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/dengue-vaccines I would assume it wasn't mentioned because there are cheaper, more readily available, more effective, and safer prophylactic measures anyone can take. And, of course, nobody has mentioned genetically-modified mosquitoes here except you; not sure why that's relevant.
So, the article to which you are responding says "We have over 60 years of research supporting DEET’s safety and effectiveness." Which appears to be true: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-deet-bad-for-you-and-your-kids (for example)
That's opposed to something you once heard from a guy with no credentials in actual human medicine. No shade on the late Dr. Pimentel, mind you; he was an important voice in his area of expertise (insect ecology), but when it comes to one's health, I'm old-fashioned enough to suggest one ought to pay more attention to research conducted medical doctors and epidemiologists. I honestly don't understand why I so often see presumably reasonable people deciding to take the advice of one person vs. a ton of scientific research.
One would think we would have learned that lesson after all the self-anointed infectious disease "experts" spreading COVID misinformation with few or no credentials or experience in the area.
Yes, I understand that it's a matter of belief.