Murray Valley encephalitis has been detected in south-eastern Australia. No human cases have yet been reported, but past outbreaks after floods show we need to be cautious.
A medical myth persists that the B vitamin thiamine is a systemic insect repellent that wards off mosquitoes when taken orally. But scientists have disproven this mistaken belief again and again.
Shüné Oliver, National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Jaishree Raman, National Institute for Communicable Diseases
As the Earth warms up the malaria vector will develop faster, allowing them to breed faster, bite more frequently and expand into formerly unsuitable habitats.
Mozzies can make you sick by injecting a cocktail of saliva and virus when they bite. Ross River virus has long been a risk but now we’re also contending with the more serious Japanese encephalitis.
It’s not just mosquitos. Flooding, extreme heat and other climate-related hazards are bringing people into contact with pathogens more often, and affecting people’s ability to fight off disease.
Certain viruses like dengue and Zika can make their hosts smell tastier to mosquitoes. Luckily, vitamin A and its derivatives may help combat these odor changes.
Mosquitoes are commonplace in summer but where do they go once the weather cools? They don’t completely disappear but find fascinating ways to survive the winter.
Principal Medical Scientist and Head of Laboratory for Antimalarial Resistance Monitoring and Malaria Operational Research, National Institute for Communicable Diseases