Mosquitoes & Hepatitis C

Mosquitoes are known to transmit diseases. The very nature by which the female feeds lends greatly to the spread of disease--land on a host, insert two needle-like tubes into the skin and inject enzymes into the host body to prevent coagulation while the mosquito sucks in blood.

Misconceptions

• Mosquitoes are not known to transmit the hepatitis virus, nor are other insects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Other Diseases

• Mosquitoes in the United States tend to transmit only encephalitis and West Nile virus to humans, the CDC says. They can also transmit diseases to our pets and other animals.

Prevention

• Mosquitoes need stagnant water to mature. Clearing stagnant water from your property can prevent the mosquitoes from laying eggs. Many insect repellents also work, DEET being widely used and recognized for its effectiveness.

How Hepatitis is Transmitted

• The most common cause of transmission for hepatitis C in America is the use of injected drugs. Other causes include receiving donated blood or organs; receiving tattoos or piercings with a contaminated needle; HIV-infected people; or being born from a mother infected with hepatitis C, among others.

Warning

• According to Nicole Cutler, L.Ac., writing for Hepatitis-Central.com, the use of DEET may be hazardous to those infected with the hepatitis C virus. Those with hepatitis C already possess weakened livers and DEET may be readily absorbed by the skin, inhaled or ingested, causing more strain on the liver.