We all know how unpleasant mosquito bites can be, but half of the global population is at risk of contracting potentially dangerous insect-carried diseases. Monday, 7th April, marks the World Health Day and this year, the World Health Organization is highlighting the increasing threat of vector-borne diseases, or diseases caused by insects, bugs and other small animals.
Close contact with flies, mosquitoes, ticks, and bugs is not only unpleasant – it may be a serious threat to the health. The WHO launched a short video, titled “Small Bite, Big Threat”, focusing on how vulnerable people may be, especially when travelling or being in the category of the world’s poorest people. According to the organization, over half of the entire population on the earth is at risk from diseases such as malaria, dengue, Lyme disease, leishmaniasis, yellow fever, and schistosomiasis.
Carried by mosquitoes, flied, ticks, water snails and other vectors, these diseases usually affect the poorest part of the population, especially in regions where people don’t have adequate access to housing, sanitation, and safe drinking water. The most susceptible group is malnourished people and those with weakened immune systems, a result from chronic diseases, bad diet and poor living conditions. The WHO says that over one billion people around the world are infected and more than one million of them die every year from vector-borne diseases.
The organization also reminds that no matter how dangerous, these illnesses are entirely preventable. Besides governmental intervention, communities and families can also take steps to protect the individuals from infection. Cheaper, simple solutions such as indoor spraying and insecticide-treated beds have already saved millions of people, according to WHO Director General Dr. Margaret Chan.
Using insect repellents and wearing long-sleeved shirts and trousers are also simple preventative measures that anyone can take in order to avoid infecting with some of the most dangerous diseases.
The most widespread vector-borne disease is schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzias, which is transmitted by water snails and caused by parasitic worms. It is especially common among children in developing countries and today it affects nearly 240 million people around the world. Experts explain that it can be controlled by providing access to safe drinking water and sanitation in affected regions and regular treating of the risk groups with safe, effective drugs. Other diseases like the mosquito-carried dengue have re-emerged in recent years – dengue is found in over 100 countries, and malaria has returned in Greece for the first time in 40 years.
