Is the mosquito a carrier of AIDS causing virus?
Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The presence of HIV in blood, semen and vaginal secretion of infected people promotes the spread of the infection through sexual contact (both heterosexual and homosexual), exposure to contaminated blood and blood products. The virus can also be transmitted to the child from the mother. There is no concrete evidence to show that it is transmitted through insect bites. Mosquitoes do transmit diseases like Malaria. In the case of AIDS they act as biological vectors and a certain period of time has to elapse for the parasite to become infective. The vector can transmit the infection only after the infectious agent undergoes a developmental process or multiplies in its body. However HIV does not replicate in mosquitoes. Scientists at Centre for Disease Control, Atlanta have proved that even in mosquitoes injected with HIV contaminated blood, the virus survives only for one hour. Further, studies on
