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Mosquito-borne Diseases
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West Nile virus has caused at least a thousand deaths since its arrival in the U.S in 1999, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During that time nearly 28,000 cases of West Nile virus infection have been diagnosed, though most public health experts say many cases go unreported.
WNV can affect individuals of all ages. In 2007 a 3-month-old infant and a 99-year-old man contracted it. Twenty percent of those who contact WNV get quite ill. Some have lasting neurological damage. For more on WNV, visit www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/06/23/hm.west.nile.virus/
index.html
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Other mosquito-borne diseases in the U.S. cause infections in humans less frequently but they have devastating–often deadly--consequences. St. Louis encephalitis, eastern equine encephalitis and LaCrosse encephalitis are examples. Malaria and dengue, two tropical diseases are also reported in the U.S. Dengue is also prevalent in Puerto Rico, Hawaii and other popular offshore tourist destinations. (See: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/dengue/dengue-qa.htm)
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