About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 1 (April 18, 2016)

handle is hein.crs/govcdvt0001 and id is 1 raw text is: &~ ~ riE SE .$rCh &~ ~ ~ gogn, q goo g , q a S ' X Updated April 18, 2016 Mosquitoes, Zika Virus, and Transmission Ecology The Zika virus is transmitted primarily by mosquitoes, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified some cases of human-to-human transmittal. The two species of mosquitoes most commonly associated with transmitting the virus are the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti, or YFM) and Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus, or ATM). This report will focus on the ecology of the two mosquito species and briefly discuss methods used or proposed either to control their populations or to limit their ability to transmit viruses. Control methods could require compliance with a variety of federal or state statutes and regulations; such statutes generally have special provisions regarding human health and safety. For a discussion of human health issues, see CRS Report R44368, Zika Virus: Basics About the Disease, and CRS Insight IN10433, Zika Virus: Global Health Considerations. ,,M~ c s q i , o E k- o \, gk,,' Neither mosquito is native to the Western Hemisphere. YFM is native to Africa, and ATM is from Southeast Asia. Only females bite; blood proteins are then used in egg development. After a blood meal from an infected person, a virus may be transmitted to a person bitten later. Both mosquitoes are vectors for other human viruses, including dengue fever, chikungunya, and yellow fever. As a result of their association with these major and established diseases, considerable research on their ecology has been performed. Both species are strongly associated with human habitat, particularly YFM, which is a weaker flyer and rarely travels more than a few hundred yards in its lifetime. However, both are hitchhikers and may spread via cars, planes, and boats. Both species are already found in suitable habitat along the U.S. Gulf Coast, and both occur sporadically in parts of California, Arizona, and New Mexico. However, ATM has adapted to cooler temperatures, allowing it to spread into higher elevations and farther north. Its range currently extends north into Pennsylvania and west to parts of Iowa and Nebraska. Both species breed in small containers of fresh water. Breeding sites may include roadside rubbish, discarded tires, flower pots, gutters, potholes, and even bottle caps. The larvae of both are aquatic, and at the larval stage their predators include other insects. When they emerge from the larval stage, predators include dragonflies, birds, and bats. Both species are primarily diurnal (i.e., active in daytime). Both avoid biting humans who have recently used various registered repellants. Control methods for the two species are varied and include elimination of breeding sites and pesticide applications, as well as screening and well-sealed homes. Issues include efficacy, cost, and human or environmental health. Figure I. Approximate U.S. Distribution of Zika Virus Vectors, 2016 ...... Etiraed rdnge . Aedes aeqypti K N'N . : ... . . . . .. . ..-....< . . . : i: : : ..... .. • ' ......................... . . .. .. :- , ii: ~.:.: . .....;i iiiiiiiiiiiiii iii: ii? ., + .... .. ..........: .. . ' .... --........4 . . .. ; . . k .. ' . ,. .. ... .. :SJ .... :' )- -, : .... :: ,. i .... i! ii~i i ;- j (.,.................! : ... . :2:2:2:2:2:5:,.:.....,, .. . ... . ..2 5 : : :: : : ,:->¢U :4' :,: ... ............... ............... : :: :i~~i~i~i :i: ::,, ... ..! ? Z !1............................ !?!; Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Surveillance and Control of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in the United States, at http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/resources/vector- control.html. Reduction of breeding sites as a mosquito-control method was most famously tested in 1904, not long after the discovery of the link between mosquitoes and disease transmission, with the building of the Panama Canal. It continues to be used, especially in the South. The method is still effective but requires broad public participation and education for success. Public funding for cleanup of timtd -an, e nf Aedes albopkctus 51 .O 'T

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most