• Question: do any insects carry a lot of hygeine?

    Asked by izzy to Rosie, Kevin, Liz, Beccy on 12 Jun 2017. This question was also asked by ccockle.
    • Photo: Rosie Fok

      Rosie Fok answered on 12 Jun 2017:

      Do you mean do any insects carry disease?

      Yes, lots. Here are some examples of insects and the diseases they carry:
      Mosquitoes – malaria (a parasite)
      Fleas – plague (a bacterium)
      Mosquitoes – Zika virus
      Ticks – Lyme disease (a bacterium)
      Sandflies – Leishmaniasis (a parasite)
      Blackflies – River blindness (a bacterium)
      Mosquitoes – Filariasis (a worm)

    • Photo: anon

      anon answered on 13 Jun 2017:

      Rosie has listed a lot of the most important insect-borne (that means transmitted by insects) diseases. There are various measures to reduce their risks.

      Bednets help keep people from being bitten by mosquitoes at night.
      Getting rid of old tyres stored outdoors reduces the breeding sites (stagnant water) which mosquitoes like to breed in.

      There are lots of new science projects looking at new ways to reduce disease risks from insects.

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