Diseases that affect Dominicans by mosquito bites

Outbreaks of malaria have been reported sporadically in the Dominican

Republic, according to health authorities, outbreaks are controlled. So far,
several people have been detected with the disease with no death.
Some of the most common diseases that affect the Dominican population are
transmitted by vectors such as mosquitoes. You should take into account
your symptoms and care to be taken.
In addition to malaria or malaria, the Dominican population is affected by
dengue, chikunguya, zika, and filariasis (known as elephantiasis), which are
transmitted by mosquito bites. The first disease and filariasis are caused by
the Anopheles mosquito (Anofeles), while the others are mainly by Aedes
Albopictus and Aedes Aegipty mainly, the latter also transmits yellow fever
and Mayaro, but in the Dominican territory there are no two pathologies
The Anopheles mosquito transmits protozoan parasites, malaria or malaria
that presents with a high fever preceded by chills and followed by profuse
sweating, and headache and general malaise. This insect usually bites at
night and in the twilight, both inside and outside the rooms.
Other symptoms of malaria are muscle and joint pain, vomiting, and
diarrhea, according to Dr. Vírgen Gómez Alba, who is a pediatrician and
infectologist.
If it is not diagnosed and handled at an early stage, it can evolve into a
severe malaria condition with brain involvement, jaundice, severe anemia,
kidney failure, bleeding and death.
Filariasis or elephantiasis (thickening of the skin and other tissues, especially
in the legs of people who suffer from it) is also transmitted by the Anopheles
mosquito, whose females can fly up to three kilometers to search for a host
of their larvae and perform hemosuction (bite). This mosquito has a head
and body in a straight line and at an angle to the plane. It usually has
mottled wings (moles).
Filariasis is a disease that is caused by the transmission of parasites called
filarias through the mosquito bite. The infection usually contracts in
childhood and causes non-manifest damage to the lymphatic system until
adulthood, when its manifestations occur that are painful and disfiguring. It
is a disabling pathology that produces a lot of social stigma in those who
suffer from it. According to the doctor, there are cases in the country, but it
is not a disease as common as dengue, which is endemic.
Dengue, chikungunya y el zika
Dengue, chikungunya and Zika have common manifestations at its onset,
such as fever, headache, skin rash, body aches, red eyes, among others.
Dengue if not diagnosed and handled correctly and in time can lead to
death, while chikungunya produces severe joint pain that can be associated
with arthritis.
Del Zika said that it has been associated with diseases such as microcephaly
in newborns, premature births, miscarriages, and various congenital
malformations, not only in the nervous system, but also in bone, eye, etc.,
and in children and adults, it is linked to Guillian Barré syndrome.
In the Dominican Republic, dengue is an endemic disease with epidemic
peaks every two or three years; Chikungunya in 2014 produced an epidemic
that encompassed the entire country and Zika in 2016. Cases of yellow fever
and Mayaro have not been documented.
Prevention
The prevention of these diseases consists in controlling the proliferation of
mosquitoes and not exposing themselves to their bites. For the first, the
hatcheries must be eliminated, such as puddles, tires, containers with water
and also fumigate. To avoid being bitten, people should sleep with mosquito
nets and use repellents, and wear clothing that covers the arms and legs.
Epidemiological bulletin 2019
The epidemiological bulletin number 34 of the Ministry of Public Health
shows that 22 probable cases of dengue distributed in 10 provinces were
reported and that in the last four weeks 87 cases (probable and confirmed)
were reported, which he said reflects a decrease of one 24% in relation to
the same period of 2017 (214). "During this period, dengue virus circulation
was detected in the provinces Azua, Montecristi, Hato Mayor, Santo Domingo
and a foreigner from Haiti," he says. From malaria, the bulletin states that 14
confirmed cases were detected, 12 indigenous and two imported.
“The indigenous cases correspond to eight men and four women between 2
and 64 years of age, coming and living in the localities that make up the
focus of La Ciénaga. The imported cases correspond to a boy and a man with
10 and 40 years of age (respectively) from Venezuela and Nigeria”. He adds
that 55 cases have been reported in the last four weeks, for a total of 269
reported throughout the country.