Is there anything more annoying than mosquitoes when you’re trying to enjoy the outdoors in Florida?
Hm, now that we think about it, yes: Mosquitoes slipping into your home and buzzing you as you’re trying to sleep!
That’s bad enough, but mosquitoes bring with them diseases, making them the world’s deadliest animal.
➤ Meet the mosquito, the world’s deadliest animal
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Florida’s Department of Health monitors mosquito-borne illnesses in the state, and there are several of them. Four cases of dengue were reported in the state in July.
Here’s what you should know about mosquito-borne illnesses in Florida, symptoms to watch for and how best to prevent mosquito bites.
How many types of mosquito-borne illnesses are there in Florida?
FDOH compiles weekly data on the following mosquito-borne viruses in a report called “Florida Arbovirus Surveillance”:
Mosquito-borne illness alerts, advisories issued for these Florida counties
A mosquito-borne illness advisory has been issued for the following counties:
A mosquito-borne illness alert has been issued for the following counties:
“A mosquito-borne illness advisory means the public should take precautions to reduce mosquito bites due to factors indicating local disease such as positive sentinels, very few presumptive or positive human cases, or other justifications,” according to Sarasota County.
“A mosquito-borne illness alert means that there has been heightened disease activity, a significant increase in vector (disease capable) mosquito populations, or an increase in locally-transmitted human cases.
“Residents should continue to take precautions, but exercise additional caution in preventing mosquito bites.”
How many cases of mosquito-borne illnesses have been reported in Florida this year?
According to the Florida Department of Health, as of Aug. 1, the following number of cases of mosquito-borne illnesses acquired in Florida have been reported:
What are symptoms of dengue fever?
“Dengue fever can be a painful, debilitating disease but is rarely fatal,” the Florida Department of Health said. Symptoms appear three to 14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito and include:
“Dengue fever symptoms usually lasts four to seven days. The disease is often diagnosed incorrectly because the symptoms are similar to influenza and other viruses.”
What are symptoms of West Nile virus?
“West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes mild to severe illness,” the Florida Department of Health said.
“Approximately 80% of people who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all.”
Mild symptoms include:
Symptoms can last from a few days to several weeks.
About one in 150 people infected with West Nile will develop severe illness. Symptoms include:
“These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent. Severe illness can also result in death,” FDOH said.
What are symptoms of Eastern equine encephalitis virus?
Most people infected with eastern equine encephalitis virus do not develop symptoms, according to the Florida Department of Health.
For those who develop symptoms, the time from an infected mosquito bite to onset of illness ranges from four to 10 days.
The CDC said symptoms of a mild illness include:
Symptoms of severe illness can include meningitis or encephalitis:
What are symptoms of St. Louis encephalitis virus?
Most people infected with St. Louis encephalitis virus do not have symptoms, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Symptoms of those who do become ill include:
What are symptoms of Chikungunya virus?
Up to 28% of people who are infected with the Chikungunya virus will not have any symptoms, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Symptoms of those who do can include:
“Fatal infections are rare, however many patients have chronic joint pain, arthritis, loss of energy, and depression lasting weeks to years,” FDOH said.
What are symptoms of Zika virus ?
Many people infected with Zika virus will not have symptoms or will only have mild symptoms, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Common symptoms of Zika include:
“Zika symptoms usually last for several days to a week,” FDOH said.
“People usually do not get sick enough to go to the hospital. For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected.”
What are symptoms of California encephalitis group viruses?
Most people infected with California serogroup viruses have no symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Symptoms include:
What are symptoms of malaria?
Symptoms of malaria depend on the type of parasite carried by the infected mosquito. In most cases, symptoms develop between seven and 30 days after the bite. Some symptoms may not appear up to a year later and, if not treated properly, can cause additional attacks, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Common symptoms include such flu-like symptoms such as:
A bite by a mosquito carrying the Plasmodium falciparum parasite can cause severe and life-threatening disease.
What are the best mosquito repellents to use?
According to the Florida Department of Health, repellents with the following active ingredients provide the best protection:
Drain and cover helps keep mosquitoes away
The FDOH offered this advice to help keep mosquitoes away from your Florida home:
Drain
Cover
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Dengue one of 8 Florida mosquito-borne diseases. Symptoms to watch for
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
