Mosquito News and Research

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Rift Valley Fever crosses into Somalia and Tanzania as Kenyans get tough

The major outbreak of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in Kenya has now claimed 139 lives and authorities say the highly-contagious disease has spread into neighbouring Tanzania.

7 Feb 2007

Rift Valley Fever threat puts Kenya on the verge of a national disaster

Kenya is facing a possible national disaster over an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever (RVF).

31 Jan 2007

Chikungunya fever rampant in Sri Lanka's north

The Sri Lankan government has confirmed that the viral fever spreading rapidly amongst people in Jaffna, is the mosquito-borne Chikungunya fever.

28 Nov 2006

Chikungunya fever in India

From February 2006 to 10 October 2006, the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia has reported 151 districts in 8 states/provinces of India affected by chikungunya fever.

17 Oct 2006

Chikungunya adds to Dengue scare in India

The situation in the Indian city of Delhi, which is battling to control an outgreak of dengue fever now approaching epidemic proportions, has been exacerbated by an outbreak of another mosquito bourne disease, Chikungunya.

10 Oct 2006

Dikshit says Dengue under control

As the number of people affected by the mosquito bourne Dengue Fever rises on a daily basis, a government official in Delhi is saying the situation is under control and the public do not need to panic.

8 Oct 2006

Delhi on the verge of a dengue fever epidemic

Diseases such as dengue and malaria are common in the monsoon season and the Indian capital, Delhi appears to be in the grip of a likely epidemic of dengue fever.

3 Oct 2006

Dengue epidemic threatens India's capital

An outbreak of Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) in Delhi, India has authorities concerned that they may be seeing the start of an epidemic.

2 Oct 2006

WHO gives indoor use of DDT a clean bill of health for controlling malaria

Nearly thirty years after phasing out the widespread use of indoor spraying with DDT and other insecticides to control malaria, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that this intervention will once again play a major role in its efforts to fight the disease.

18 Sep 2006

First step to developing effective therapy against Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus

Biomedical researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) have taken an important early step toward developing effective drug therapies against Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) virus, a potential bioterrorist weapon.

12 Sep 2006

Long-term health effects from West Nile illnesses

More than a year after being diagnosed with a West Nile virus infection, half of the patients have ongoing health complaints including fatigue, memory problems, headaches, depression, and tremors, according to an article in the Sept. 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

16 Aug 2006

Several factors are contributing to an increase in dengue epidemics

Scientists have long known that epidemics of dengue fever wax and wane over a period of several years, but they've never been quite sure why.

7 Aug 2006

Researchers discover one of the malaria parasite's sneakiest tricks

Researchers have discovered one of the malaria parasite's sneakiest tricks--using dead liver cells to cloak and transport itself back into the bloodstream after leaving the liver.

4 Aug 2006

Scientists identify genetic element that the dengue virus uses to replicate

The first step in the transmission of mosquito-borne viruses is no mystery: it's the pesky insect's bite that allows the virus to enter its victim's bloodstream.

2 Aug 2006

Major genetic breakthrough in understanding of Wolbachia infection

Scientists have made a major breakthrough in understanding the genetics of the insect parasite that is being targeted by researchers as a way of preventing the spread of malaria.

25 Jul 2006

Distribution of more than 18 million malaria bednets in Africa

Roll Back Malaria Partners are supporting mass distribution of malaria bednets to prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from malaria in many endemic countries.

25 Jul 2006

77 die from rare tropical disease on island paradise

Travellers to an exotic island in the Indian Ocean have been issued with warnings against a rare tropical disease.

17 Jul 2006

West Nile virus makes its 2006 arrival in Arizona

West Nile Virus has made its first appearance of 2006 in Arizona, and state and local health officials are encouraging everyone to take precautions against the disease.

10 Jul 2006

Researchers identify gene used to recognize pathogens

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have identified a gene in the Anopheles gambiae mosquito's DNA that is central to the insect's ability to defend against infectious pathogens, including Plasmodium, the parasite that causes malaria in humans.

27 Jun 2006

Researchers identify gene used to recognize pathogens

Researchers have identified a gene in the Anopheles gambiae mosquito's DNA that is central to the insect's ability to defend against infectious pathogens, including Plasmodium, the parasite that causes malaria in humans.

20 Jun 2006