Bzzzzzz. There’s nothing peskier than mosquitos buzzing around, especially when they decide to pepper your skin with itchy welts. Except, of course, when the winged insects happen to be carrying a potentially deadly virus like Zika or dengue fever.
In recent years, mosquito-borne illnesses have been on the rise — and they pose an increasing threat to public health. In 2018, an outbreak of West Nile virus in Europe led to over 1,600 cases and more than 120 deaths. The virus, just one of many mosquito-borne infections, can cause symptoms from mild fever to life-threatening neurological issues.
