People hear a lot about the Zika virus and dengue nowadays, but while the diseases may change, the vectors for spreading the disease do not change. The Aedes aegypti mosquito was on the public health official's radar in Atlanta, Georgia back in 1945. Back then, the concern was dengue and yellow fever, both of which were transmitted by this particular mosquito species.
The Threat of Mosquito-Related Disease
In 1945, America was in the midst of World War II, so mosquitoes were not considered the number one enemy. But, the spread of dengue and yellow fever was very real and dengue was a concern as it continued to spread in the South. Yellow fever had been present in Georgia since the 1820s and was a concern with soldiers entering and returning from the Pacific theater. Both could make the population sick, and yellow fever was the more deadly of the two.
Public Officials Dealing With Dangers To Public Health
The public health departments in Atlanta, Georgia decided to educate the population in schools, through various scout programs, and through the newspapers, of the dangers of leaving standing water around. News broadcasts were aired seeking to educate the public on the vectors of dengue and yellow fever: that being Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Their plan was to make people aware of the carriers of the disease and decrease the habitats. By teaching people to empty and clean out old containers which held water, public officials could get people to reduce the number of mosquito larvae hatching and reduce the numbers of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
Good Lessons Regarding Mosquitoes, Even Today
People in Atlanta, Georgia to this day have to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito because it continues to bring deadly and destructive mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and Zika. People should continue to drain any containers that contain standing water because they could carry Zika-infected mosquito eggs and larvae, which need standing water to gestate. In 1945, public officials used DDT to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito, an incredibly dangerous and cancerous insecticide. Today people have a choice when it comes to protecting themselves from mosquitoes. Tuxedo Mosquito Control uses pyrethrum, a natural and safe insecticide made from chrysanthemum flowers. This insecticide is completely biodegradable and will not harm the environment the way DDT or harsher chemicals will. Contact Tuxedo Mosquito Control to combat mosquitoes on your property with our automated mosquito misting systems in Atlanta, today.