Can Mosquitoes Transmit AIDS?

Many people have wondered whether or not mosquitoes have the capability of transmitting HIV, which is also known as the virus that causes AIDS. It is a common belief that if a mosquito bites a person who is infected with HIV, the mosquito will become a carrier of the virus and will be able to infect other people who are bitten. To properly answer the question of whether or not mosquitoes can transmit AIDS, it is important to learn a little bit more about the HIV virus and its effects on mosquitoes.

The HIV Virus

HIV, which stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, can be transmitted the following ways:

• Semen or vaginal fluids exchanged during sexual activities
• Receiving blood from an infected person during a blood transfusion
• An infected mother passing the virus to her child during childbirth
• An infected mother breastfeeding her child
• Sharing needles with an infected person

Even though the origin of the virus is still debatable, many scientists believe that it was first transmitted to humans from bites caused by African monkeys that were infected with the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus. It is believed that this virus from the monkeys mutated into HIV after entering a person’s bloodstream. Similar viruses affecting cats and other animals have been found, but these viruses are exclusive to those specific animal species and cannot be transmitted to humans. No such viruses have been found in mosquitoes or other types of insect species.

How Mosquitoes Process HIV

It is true that a mosquito can pick up a small trace of the HIV virus if it bites an infected person. However, the virus is not able to survive and thrive inside of the mosquito because of the digestion process. Enzymes in the stomachs of mosquitoes quickly process any traces of the virus and eliminate it from the mosquito’s system. This means that the AIDS virus is essentially food for the mosquito and is able to be digested quickly along with the rest of the blood meal. The virus does not have enough time to remain in the mosquito’s system and become harmful to the mosquito or any other person who may be bitten.

Flying Needles Myth

Some people believe that mosquitoes are essentially flying needles that are capable of injecting a person with the AIDS virus. Even if the AIDS virus happened to be inside of a mosquito’s system, it would not be injected into a person who was bitten. The feeding tubes of mosquitoes are only designed to draw in blood and are not capable of injecting any contents. Mosquitoes do emit saliva before biting, but they do not contain HIV in their salivary glands. The feeding tubes and salivary glands are two completely separate systems in mosquitoes.

Other Diseases Caused by Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are capable of transmitting other harmful diseased to people. Unlike HIV, mosquitoes are able to pick up other types of parasites and transmit them to humans. These parasites are processed in the salivary glands of mosquitoes and can easily be spread through biting. Other diseases and illnesses commonly transmitted by mosquitoes include:

• Malaria
• Yellow fever
• Rift Valley fever
• West Nile Virus
• Encephalitis

Contracting any of these diseases or illnesses can cause serious medical issues. A person who has been bitten by a mosquito and starts to develop symptoms of any of these ailments should seek medical treatment immediately.

In short, mosquitoes cannot transmit the AIDS virus to humans. It is also true that humans cannot get AIDS from any other type of insect bites. This does not mean that mosquitoes are harmless. Mosquito bites can still make a person sick, so it is best to take proper precautions in order to avoid the problems brought on by these pests.