Mosquito control efforts in the 1930s contributed to the decrease in malaria mortality in Florida. Infected travelers can bring the parasite with them, as happened in Key West in 1998. Local mosquitoes may then acquire the parasite and transmit it to uninfected people. This happened in the panhandle region of Florida in 1990, and again in Palm Beach County in 1996. Dog Heartworm Dog heartworm is transmitted to dogs by the bite of an infected mosquito.
Adults live in the dog's heart and release microscopic young worms into the dog's blood.
This infection is often fatal to the dog. Cats are also susceptible to infection by dog heartworm, although to a lesser degree than are dogs. Human infections are sometimes discovered, usually during lung X-rays. Click the mosquito to return to the Homepage.