Water vector diseases

Water-related insect vector diseases (water vector diseases) are diseases transmitted by insects that breed in water or bite near water. The pathogen is not in drinking water; it is carried by the insect (vector) from an infected to a healthy person.

Two examples

1. Malaria

• Cause: Plasmodium parasite.
• Vector: female Anopheles mosquito, which breeds in stagnant, clear water (ponds, paddy fields, puddles).
• Transmission: the mosquito bites an infected person, picks up the parasite, and transmits it when it bites another person.
• Symptoms: fever with chills and sweating.

2. Dengue

• Cause: Dengue virus.
• Vector: Aedes aegypti mosquito, which breeds in clean water held in containers, tyres and water tanks.
• Transmission: by the bite of an infected mosquito, mainly in the daytime.
• Symptoms: high fever, severe headache, joint pains and rash.

Other water-related vector diseases are yellow fever (Aedes), Japanese encephalitis and filariasis (Culex), and river blindness (Simulium blackfly).

Control

Drain stagnant water, cover storage tanks, use larvicides and fish that eat larvae, use bed nets and repellents, spray insecticides, and give community awareness.