Mosquito bites and illness

Mosquitoes are probably best known as annoying buzzing insects that interrupt summer outings or quiet evenings by the fire pit. But some members of this family of Diptera kill millions of people a year. The most well known mosquito-borne disease is probably malaria, but there are dozens more, from parasites that infect pets with heartworm to viruses that cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in humans. 

Read about why mosquitoes bite, how they spread disease, and the diseases they cause at Sick from Mosquito Bites in Maeflowers on Medium.

Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash
 

Theileria

Theileria is a genus of parasite found in cattle, sheep, and goats (and other similar animals) in tropical and subtropical regions. Though most of the species don't cause illness, a few wreak havoc on the cattle industry in the form of theileriosis. The parasites are spread by ticks. Read more about the various species of Theileria.