Parasite Bearing Mosquitoes in St Petersburg |
Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted from person to person by the bite of an Anopheles mosquito. Anopheles bite during the night and are present in almost all countries in the tropics and subtropics. If you didn't have screens on your home, a mosquito net would be essential for sleeping quarters. Symptoms of malaria include fever, chills, headache, muscle ache, and malaise. In its early stages can resemble the onset of the flu. The symptoms can develop a few days after being bitten by an infected mosquito, or up to several months later. Malaria can sometimes be prevented by the use of antimalarial drugs that protect the bodies immune system. Most of the world's population is at risk from malaria. It is estimated worldwide, over 1 million people are killed by Malaria annually.
Although malaria has been detected in Florida. By 1935, it was thought that malaria was completely eradicated in the state. However other cases have been reported in the past 20 years. A Malaria case was confirmed 1990 in Gulf County, 1996 and 2003 in Palm Beach County, however, no cases have been reported locally in the St Petersburg Bay area. |