Here’s another reminder that mosquitoes are risky to humans, wildlife and our domestic animals. Consider sharing this story within your networks to help educate people on the need for assertive mosquito control.
Source: The Washington Post, June 19, 2018. Link.
The case — and shocking images — were published Thursday in a report titled “Migrating Dirofilaria repens” in the New England Journal of Medicine, detailing a case in which a woman from Russia became host to a parasite through a mosquito bite.
Also see: Centers for Disease Control, Dialofilariasis. Link.
Zoonotic filarid nematodes in the genus Dirofilaria. The normal hosts for Dirofilaria spp. in nature are usually carnivores. The most commonly seen species in human patients are D. repens, D. tenuis, and D. immitis (the dog heartworm). Humans have also been infected with D. ursi, D. subdermata, and D. striata.
Also see: Keystone virus makes first known jump from mosquitoes to humans, NPR, June 21, 2018. Link.
“Although the virus has never previously been found in humans, the infection may actually be fairly common in North Florida,” J. Glenn Morris said in the statement. “It’s one of these instances where if you don’t know to look for something, you don’t find it.”
INSIGHTS: Animal health pros need to keep anomalies like these in mind as we communicate and receive services from medical doctors. Your lifestyle, travels and environmental contact determines your risks as well as risks for animals.