From MSN
January 20, 2022
The pesky Aedes aegypti, more commonly known as the ankle biter, is behind more than the persistently itchy welts on our legs.
Heather Hyland with the OC Mosquito and Vector Control District said Thursday that results from testing at the end of 2021, show that this species of mosquito carries heartworm, which can be fatal to our furry friends.
“Out of 260 samples, we found that four tested positive for dog heartworm detection. That’s telling us that there is dog heartworm in the community, but it’s also telling us, based on that data, that it’s low-risk right now,” Hyland said.
According to a 2019 map from the American Heartworm Society, no state is heartworm free. The darker the red, the higher the number of cases. The map shows Mississippi and Louisiana leading the country in infection rates.
The mosquitoes testing positive in Orange County came from Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, and Fullerton. The danger in Southern California is that ankle biters are rapidly breeding, and they can spread heartworm to dogs with just one bite.