MOSQUITO ERADICATION 



CHAPTER I 



THE TOLL OF THE MOSQUITO 



DISEASES SPREAD BY THE MOSQUITO 



While much has been accomplished in recent years in diffusing 

 information as to the preventability of the mosquito-borne 

 diseases, it is very doubtful if the public yet has an adequate idea 

 of the mortality, suffering and loss they occasion and of the 

 general feasibility and direct economic advantage of mosquito 

 eradication. 



The toll of the mosquito may be regarded from three aspects- 

 first, the annoyance, suffering and death caused by the diseases 

 it transmits; second, the economic loss resulting from these 

 diseases in expenditures for medical aid, nursing and medicines 

 and in loss of time and productive energy; and, third, the eco- 

 nomic loss it occasions by holding back development of, and 

 depressing property values in, sections where it abounds. 



Apart from the discomfort and vexation it causes, the mosquito 

 is the transmitting agent of no fewer than four distinct diseases — 

 malaria, ye llow fever, dengue a n d filariag js- Of these, malaria 

 and yellow fever are of the very first importance. 



TRANSMISSION OF MALARIA 



Malaria is caused by three separate blood parasites or heina- 

 tocytozoa, Plasmodium malariae (Laveran), Plasmodium vivax 

 (Grassi and Filetti) and Plasmodium falciparum (Welch). 

 These produce respectively quartan, tertian and estivo-autumnal 

 or tropical malaria, all having the same etiology and mode of 

 transference, despite well-defined clinical differences. 



It is now well established that malaria is transmitted in nature 

 only by the bite of the Anopheles mosquito, this mosquito being 

 the only animal, other than man, which carries the malaria 

 parasites. The mosquito is the definitive host and man the 

 intermediary host, both being necessary to complete the life 

 cycle of the parasite, which is as follows. 



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