Yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti)

Description:

Aedes aegypti is a vector for transmitting several tropical fevers. Only the female bites for blood, which she needs to mature her eggs. To find a host, these mosquitoes are attracted to chemical compounds emitted by mammals. These compounds include ammonia, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and octenol.Although Aedes aegypti mosquitoes most commonly feed at dusk and dawn, indoors, in shady areas, or when the weather is cloudy, "they can bite and spread infection all year long and at any time of day.

Habitat:

The mosquitoes prefer to breed in areas of stagnant water, such as flower vases, uncovered barrels, buckets, and discarded tires, but the most dangerous areas are wet shower floors and toilet tanks, as they allow the mosquitos to breed in the residence. Research has shown that certain chemicals emanating from bacteria in water containers stimulate the female mosquitoes to lay their eggs.

Notes:

Genetic modification : Ae. aegypti has been genetically modified to suppress its own species in an approach similar to the sterile insect technique, thereby reducing the risk of disease. The mosquitoes, known as OX513A, were developed by Oxitec, a spinout of Oxford University. Field trials in the Cayman Islands, Brazil and Panama have shown that the OX513A mosquitoes reduced the target mosquito populations by more than 90% As of early 2016, the most widespread outbreak of Zika fever, caused by the Zika virus, is ongoing primarily in the Americas. The outbreak began in April 2015 in Brazil, and subsequently spread to other countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. In January 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the virus was likely to spread throughout most of the Americas by the end of the year;and in February 2016, the WHO declared the cluster of microcephaly and Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) cases reported in Brazil – strongly suspected to be associated with the Zika virus outbreak – a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The virus is mainly spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is commonly found throughout the tropical and subtropical Americas