World Mosquito Day

Today (sorry yesterday, as I am reporting one and half hour late) is world Mosquito day. World Mosquito Day, observed annually on 20 August, is a commemoration of British doctor Sir Ronald Ross's discovery in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans. Ross is responsible for the annual observance, having declared shortly after his discovery that the day should be known as World Mosquito Day in the future. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine holds Mosquito Day celebrations every year, including events such as parties and exhibitions, a tradition dating back to as early as the 1930s.

Dr Ronald Ross

Here are some myths which are prevalent in the community.

• Garlic and Marmite ward of mosquitoes.
• Mosquitoes like sweet blood- No it is not sweet but sweat from your body. What draws mosquitoes is a cocktail of odors produced by the microbes on your skin.
• Mosquitoes don’t  have a wardrobe preference- The mosquitoes are attracted to the heat and dark coloured clothing retain more heat than light coloured clothing, so mosquitoes prefer black or dark blue cloths.
• Antiseptic mouthwash repels mosquitoes- No it may give you fresh minty breath but it does not put mosquitoes away.
• Mosquitoes bite- No they don’t as they don’t have teeth; rather they suck your blood by piercing your skin through a long and sharp proboscis.
• Mosquitoes die after feeding
• Mosquitoes can transit HIV when it sucks blood of a healthy person, just after feeding on an AIDS patient of HIV infected person- No as HIV is digested in their stomach, so it’s broken down without being passed to a healthy person.
• Electric bug zapper is effective on mosquitoes- No it can kill only 1% of mosquitoes or  other biting insects. So do not rely on these gadgets for killing the mosquitoes.