Will man ever win the fight against mosquitoes?

In the 21st century, human intelligence has led to the creation of artificial intelligence, taking the world of science & technology leaps and bounds ahead. Moreover, when the world came to a screeching halt after the spread of coronavirus, man displayed the epitome of medical science and we returned to a near normal life.

However, at the same time, man continues fighting a hard battle, with a tiny creature called ‘mosquito'. The nuisance and disease spreading fly, has proven that it is a step ahead of human-created mitigation efforts to kill it permanently.

Experts are hopeful that with the rising challenges, world will innovate its combat strategies against mosquitoes.

World's deadliest animal

Evolutionary biologists view mosquitoes as micro predators, while medical parasitologists view mosquitoes as disease vectors. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls mosquitoes the "world's deadliest animal" as the insect transmits six deadly diseases to humans- namely Malaria, Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, Yellow Fever and West Nile Virus (WNV).

As per Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) data, in 2021, 6,19,000 people died from malaria alone, and over 247 million became ill across 84 countries. Nearly 3.2 billion people of the world's population are at risk of this preventable disease. Dengue outbreaks are common in many countries around the world, including the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

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The largest WNV outbreak in the United States occurred in 2021 in Arizona, sickening 1,715 people and leaving 125 dead, highlighting that the most developed nation too is unable to eradicate this tiny but life-threatening species. In 2023, 20 years after the U.S. thought it had eradicated malaria, eight malaria patients were detected in Florida and Texas.

However, the fact remains that mosquito-borne diseases, especially dengue fever and malaria, typically affect developing countries and areas with tropical climates. In the last two decades, there has been a geographic spread of the disease.

Experts attribute it to rapid population growth, increased congestion in urban areas, and global travel. The dengue virus has evolved rapidly over time, posing challenges to both government and public health officials.

The expensive fight

Worldwide, from 1970 to 2017, it has been estimated that the invasive species cost the global economy more than 1.28 trillion USD in damage and efforts to control its spread. The cost of introduction of newer mitigation efforts, technology, medications and preventive care has been doubling, but the spread of mosquitoes is worsening too.

In India too, the disease spreading fly has created a socio-economic burden. As per World Health Organisation (WHO) 2017 data, the socio-economic burden for India, due to malaria alone, was pegged at around 1.94 billion USD (Rs 1,1640 crore) with 95 per cent of the population living in malaria-endemic areas. The rising dengue cases account for over 1 billion USD (nearly Rs 6,000 crore) of annual economic costs (including direct and indirect loss and medical costs).

"Today, millions of lives are still lost due to malaria and the mosquitoes that spread it. But since 2000, global partnerships have saved more than 10.6 million lives from malaria too," said research by Outreach Network for Gene Drive. In September 2022, global leaders met under leadership of the U.S. President Joe Biden, the panel agreed that constant innovation and more aggressive methods are needed to stay ahead of mosquitoes.

Apart from this, environmental change is another major reason the man is falling behind in the fight against mosquitoes. The World Economic Forum's (WEF) Annual Meeting of January 2023, had major observations that urbanisation and climate change are helping to spread mosquito-borne diseases, four billion people are at risk from Dengue Fever today and that could double by the end of the century, and that innovation, collaboration and providing equitable access are essential to prevent and combat mosquito-borne diseases.

Climate Change and Urbanisation rise mosquitoes breeding sites

"While we work to mitigate the growing impact of drought, rising sea levels and extreme weather, we cannot lose sight of the underestimated consequence of the warming planet: the spread of debilitating and potentially deadly mosquito-borne diseases," the WEF 2023 observed.

Dengue Fever, Malaria, Zika, West Nile and Chikungunya until recently, primarily existed in warmer climates with higher levels of mosquito populations. Mosquitos, being cold-blooded like all insects, thrive in warmer weather. As global warming leads to rising air and water temperatures and more rainfall and flooding, more environments are becoming suitable for mosquitos to multiply," says the WEF report.

A 2020 study by the US National Institute of Health concluded that, for every one degree Celsius the planet warms, Dengue Fever cases will increase by 35 per cent.

How can tropical countries like India tackle the mosquito menace?

Mosquito control is a vital public health practice throughout the world, especially in tropical regions. The government and public health officials are always on foot combating multiplying mosquito breeding sites, especially in developing and populated countries.

Apart from being the most populated country, India is one of the countries with maximum infrastructural projects underway. With added factors like topography, climate change and lack of public knowledge of preventive measures, India is one of the hotspots for mosquito-borne diseases.

In 2022, the National Centre for Vector-Borne Disease Control (NCVBDC) was established to address the challenges, including finance and operations, and enhance the efforts in preventing and controlling vector-borne diseases, including malaria and dengue.

Every municipal corporation has sanitisation departments and health officers to track disease control programs. Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), which runs Mumbai- the economic capital of India- holds a major stake in implementing combat measures against mosquito-borne diseases.

Dr Daksha Shah, Executive Health Officer (also the head of the sanitisation department), of MCGM, said that the fight against mosquitoes is difficult, but we have not lost it.
Every year, the civic bodies have funds allotted for mosquito control, programs and a channel of preventive measures to be taken to tackle the mosquito menace.

Shah said, "It is true with increased urbanisation, construction works, slum population and weather change, eradicating mosquito breeding sites is difficult. But with years of efforts, the number of people affected with mosquito-borne diseases has decreased drastically in Mumbai."

"From around 75,000 dengue cases in 2002 to around 7,000 cases in 2023, the city has come a long way," the officer said. However, public awareness and community engagement play a key role.

Nuisance continues

The dengue cases are highest during the monsoon season, from July to October when mosquito breeding is most prevalent.

But the mosquito menace persists around the year, as the non-disease spreading mosquitoes known as nuisance mosquitoes continue hampering the well-being of a person, by buzzing all around.

With the world, India too remains steadfast in its fight against mosquitoes.