Why Can Mosquitoes Transmit Zika, But Not the Flu?

The video discusses the transmission of diseases by mosquitoes, focusing on why only certain diseases like malaria, West Nile virus, and Zika virus are spread by these insects. It explains that these diseases require both an insect and a vertebrate for their life cycle. The video also differentiates between malaria, caused by a protozoan, and arboviruses, which can infect both mosquitoes and humans. It details how arboviruses use receptors to move from a mosquito's stomach to its salivary glands, enabling transmission to humans. The malaria parasite's complex life cycle, involving both sexual and asexual reproduction, is also explained.

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