28/11/2012 The Conversation by Cameron Webb discusses the management of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases and the necessity for this to take into account wildlife, people and the environment.......More >>
A short extract: "There are many ways to prevent mosquito-borne diseases – insecticides to kill mosquitoes, vaccines to prevent infection and healthy doses of insect repellent before heading off for fishing trips. But while each of these strategies can play a part, where we live and how we build our communities may have an even greater effect. More than 5,000 Australians are struck down with mosquito-borne disease every year...............There’s much discussion about the potential impact of climate change on mosquito-borne disease risks but, in fact, urbanisation will influence the activity of zoonotic diseases (diseases passed from animals to humans) even more by disturbing local ecosystems and biodiversity.............. "