Overview

Mosquitoes are the deadliest animals to humans, spreading diseases that infect up to 700 million people annually responsible for between 750,000 and 1 million deaths annually. These illnesses primarily affect tropical regions, though some mosquito-borne diseases remain a concern in the United States.

People who work in warm, outdoor settings, especially in tropical settings, should take precautions to prevent mosquito bites that can result in severe illness.

Some examples are:

• Landscapers, groundskeepers, and gardeners
• Highway and road maintenance workers
• Construction workers (roofers, carpenters, cement finishers, etc.)
• Farm and ranch workers
• Boatmen, deckhands, and fishers
• Wildlife conservationists and forest rangers
• Utility and telecommunication workers
• Tree trimmers

In addition, laboratory workers who study mosquito-borne diseases can also become infected through bloodborne transmission via needlesticks or by insectary-reared mosquitos carrying these diseases.