mosquito

A mosquito-borne illness alert for malaria in Sarasota and Manatee counties was lifted this week, but “that doesn't mean we're out of the water” as the storm's rains have increased breeding areas.

The case involves the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, which can cause more severe illness than the P. vivax strain found this summer in Florida.

If the guy skeeters can't hear the buzz of females ... no mating, no new generations. The results of a study on mosquito hearing could lead to a different kind of population control tool.

Extreme heat or flooding may not be to blame for Sarasota's malaria outbreak, but scientists say changing weather patterns could still increase risk for mosquito-borne diseases.

Five local cases of malaria in the U.S. have been reported − mosquitoes carrying the malaria parasite bit and infected the individuals. How worried should we be? Is climate change a factor?

Gambusia minnows can be released into larger, more permanent bodies of water.. These fish are mosquito predators which eat the insects' larvae.

The Florida Department of Health provided a list of precautions with a “mosquito-borne illness” advisory. And the CDC issued a warning to doctors, especially in the South, to be aware of the possibility of infections after a fifth case was confirmed in Texas.

Four of the cases were found in Florida, while the fifth was logged in Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The population of mosquitoes is growing along with Florida's population of people and brings diseases like dengue fever and malaria. Climate change is sending non-native, invasive mosquito species to North America – specifically Florida.

Both cases were a type of malaria known as P. vivax, which is not as fatal as others. The latest discovery triggered a mosquito-borne illness alert for both counties.