Zoonotic Disease Program Mosquito-borne Diseases Mosquitoes transmit many diseases. All mosquito-borne diseases in Ohio are zoonoses; that is, they are diseases of animals that can be transmitted to people. Normally, these diseases can only be transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. An infected animal or person cannot pass the infection on to another animal or person. Taking a blood meal from an infected animal infects the mosquito. The exception is La Crosse encephalitis, where infected female mosquitoes pass the infection to their offspring through the eggs. Since only the female mosquitoes take a blood meal, only female mosquitoes spread these diseases. Once a mosquito becomes infected, it remains so for life, which is normally only a few weeks. In their lifetime, mosquitoes may take three or four blood meals. If the mosquito became infected with the first blood meal, it will be capable of transmitting the infection each time another blood meal is taken. Only six of the sixty-three species of mosquitos known to occur in Ohio can transmit disease agents. Publications and forms are in .PDF format. The free Adobe Acrobat Vieweris required to view them.
Mosquito-borne Diseases
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Mosquito brochure: For West Nile Virus, La Crosse Encephalitis, St. Louis Encephalitis & Eastern Equine Encephalitis For best results, print this pamphlet on 8 1/2" X 14" paper, double-sided. Fold in half, width-wise, then fold in half again.
