Mosquito Causing Dengue and Yellow Fever Spotted in California

A dangerous mosquito belonging to the Aedes aegypti species has been spotted in the state of California. This mosquito spreads deadly diseases like dengue, yellow fever and other ailments.

What makes this dark colored mosquito with white markings and white banded legs more dangerous is that it bites all day long unlike other mosquitoes.

"If it gets away it will change the way we live in California. You may not be able to sit on your patio and enjoy a cup of coffee during the day without getting bit," Tim Phillips of the Fresno Mosquito and Vector Control District, said in an Associated Press report.

Also, these mosquitoes require as little as a teaspoon of water for breeding, which makes it tough to stem their spread. These mosquitoes prefer biting humans than animals.

"It's very difficult to control because of its biology," said Steve Mulligan, who is working to contain the outbreak of yellow-fever mosquitoes in Clovis.

"They like humans and will come inside the house. We're trying hard to eliminate it," Mulligan added.

Health officials along with  the California Department of Public Health are taking steps to avoid dengue and yellow fever from turning into an epidemic. Insecticide promethean is being sprayed in mosquito-ridden areas. The officials spotted about 100 sites in Clovis, the inhabitants are being instructed to drain all stagnant water.

Luckily mosquitoes examined from Clovis' infected area spanning over 2 miles were not found to be carrying any diseases. But things can grow extremely ugly if these mosquitoes bite any infected person.

"The nightmare scenarios is it gets established in California and then a mosquito bites someone with an imported case of dengue," Phillips said.

Arizona and Texas are other states where these mosquitoes were found.

About 200 Californians have been infected with dengue since 2010, most cases carried the disease to the state from outside. Only 9 cases of yellow fever have been reported in the U.S. from 1970 to 2011 as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics.

The health officials of the state are suspecting that these mosquito eggs entered their country through some imported containers.

Dengue and Yellow fever are grave diseases. A person infected by Dengue virus will experience body pain, headache and measles-like rashes. Whereas a person attacked by the yellow-fever virus will portray flu-like symptoms and can even get jaundice.