Mosquitoes prick skin with six needles to suck blood and spread diseases like Zika
- 8 years ago
SAN FRANCISCO — An outbreak of the Zika virus is giving scientists added impetus to understand how mosquitos are so effective at biting us and passing on disease.
As of last month, 48 countries and territories had reported active Zika outbreaks, according to Reuters. Infection with the virus in pregnant women causes the birth defect microcephaly and other severe brain abnormalities in babies.
Scientists at the University of California, Davis, hope research into how mosquitoes bite us will lead to new repellents that can arrest the spread of viruses like Zika, NPR reported.
Researchers told NPR that the mouth of a mosquito has a sheath that protects six needle-like mouthparts, known as stylets.
When a mosquito bites, the sheath moves backwards, and two stylets lined with tiny, sharp teeth saw through the skin. As these maxillae cut through the skin, two mandibles thrust into the tissue and hold it apart.
Another needle, called the hypopharynx, drips mosquito saliva into the skin to keep blood flowing, causing an itchy welt to form and spreading diseases like Zika.
Receptors in a sixth needle, the labrum, help guide it to a blood vessel. Blood is then sucked up through the labrum like a straw. As blood fills the mosquito’s gut, it filters and excretes the water content to absorb more nutritious red blood cells.
Public health experts recommend using insect repellent, checking screens on doors and removing standing water around homes to reduce the spread of mosquito-borne viruses, according to NPR.
As of last month, 48 countries and territories had reported active Zika outbreaks, according to Reuters. Infection with the virus in pregnant women causes the birth defect microcephaly and other severe brain abnormalities in babies.
Scientists at the University of California, Davis, hope research into how mosquitoes bite us will lead to new repellents that can arrest the spread of viruses like Zika, NPR reported.
Researchers told NPR that the mouth of a mosquito has a sheath that protects six needle-like mouthparts, known as stylets.
When a mosquito bites, the sheath moves backwards, and two stylets lined with tiny, sharp teeth saw through the skin. As these maxillae cut through the skin, two mandibles thrust into the tissue and hold it apart.
Another needle, called the hypopharynx, drips mosquito saliva into the skin to keep blood flowing, causing an itchy welt to form and spreading diseases like Zika.
Receptors in a sixth needle, the labrum, help guide it to a blood vessel. Blood is then sucked up through the labrum like a straw. As blood fills the mosquito’s gut, it filters and excretes the water content to absorb more nutritious red blood cells.
Public health experts recommend using insect repellent, checking screens on doors and removing standing water around homes to reduce the spread of mosquito-borne viruses, according to NPR.