Bitten or smitten, both carry risks...

We're in the mosquito season and all those years I believed I was targeted by mosquitoes because I have a good quantity of Vitamin B in my bloodstream has been dashed by the current fact that mosquitoes seek out those who emit ample quantities of carbon dioxide ~ generally large people, such as adults, pregnant women and the over-weight. There are other reasons, such as genetic inheritance and whether or not you are emitting lactic acid from your body due to exercise. I guess if you fall into any of the above categories and you are going to be outside on a warm Summer's night, you should sit very quietly, which will reduce both your carbon dioxide as well as any lactic acid emissions.

But why be concerned about that little mosquito bite? Mosquitoes spread Arboviruses and with the recent heavy rainfall we're been experiencing there will be an influx of mosquitoes in Victoria as well as Queensland. Arboviruses cause fever, vomiting, encephalitis and other horrible symptoms. The following vector species have been identified in the Melbourne metropolitan aea Cx. annulirostris, Cq. linealis, Ae. camptorhynchus and Ae. notoscriptus. However, according to the Victorian Infectious Disease Bulletin, a 2000 study concluded that, Arbovirus activity is unlikely to be endemic in the metropolitan area, but under certain conditions virus activity may spread into the metropolitan areas and pose a threat to human health in Melbourne. The majority of the reported cases of arbovirus in 2010 were acquired by people who were bitten by mosquitoes when they travelled to regional Victoria or Interstate.

The warmer months also show an increase in sexually transmitted diseases and each year there is a 10% increase in the numbers of people who present with them. The Victorian Department of Health reports that in the January to June quarter of 2010, there were 4,207 cases of chlamydia, 439 cases of gonorrhoea, 215 of syphilis, 65 new cases of HIV and 10 AIDS notifications. I guess the lesson in both instances, is to use protection!