Abstract

Mosquitoes (Culicidae) are disease vectors, which are responsible for an estimated one million deaths per year. Female mosquitoes, which need blood for survival and reproduction, collect blood with a disease present from a host, and will transmit that disease from one host to another as it feeds on additional food sources. This continuous feeding behavior indirectly contributes to widespread disease transmission, including zoonotic diseases such as malaria, West Nile, and Zika virus from animal hosts to humans. While mosquitoes spread diseases, they also provide important ecosystem services with male mosquitoes feeding on nectar and pollinating flowering plants. Mosquitoes are also a vital food source for many organisms and are integral to many food webs. This manuscript aims to use a series of hands-on activities to introduce students to mosquitoes. Students will use worksheets and create mosquito replicas to learn about insect anatomy. The mosquito replicas will be used in an interactive disease spread and transmission activity. The students will learn how disease spread varies depending on hosts and how some mosquitoes will never carry diseases or spread them to human hosts. Students will also research and share information on common diseases spread by mosquitoes and steps to reduce and prevent disease transmission among human hosts. Overall students will gain a better understanding of mosquitoes, diseases, and insect vectors.

摘要

蚊子（Culicidae）是疾病传播媒介，估计每年造成 100 万人死亡。雌性蚊子需要血液才能生存和繁殖，它们会从宿主身上采集患有疾病的血液，并在以额外的食物来源为食时将疾病从一个宿主传播到另一个宿主。这种持续的摄食行为间接导致了疾病的广泛传播，包括人畜共患病，如疟疾、西尼罗河和寨卡病毒从动物宿主到人类。虽然蚊子传播疾病，但它们也提供重要的生态系统服务，雄性蚊子以花蜜为食并为开花植物授粉。蚊子也是许多生物的重要食物来源，是许多食物网的组成部分。本手稿旨在通过一系列动手活动向学生介绍蚊子。学生将使用工作表并制作蚊子复制品来了解昆虫解剖学。蚊子复制品将用于交互式疾病传播和传播活动。学生将了解疾病的传播方式因宿主而异，以及一些蚊子如何永远不会携带疾病或将疾病传播给人类宿主。学生还将研究和分享有关蚊子传播的常见疾病的信息，以及减少和预防人类宿主之间疾病传播的步骤。总体而言，学生将更好地了解蚊子、疾病和昆虫媒介。蚊子复制品将用于交互式疾病传播和传播活动。学生将了解疾病的传播方式因宿主而异，以及一些蚊子如何永远不会携带疾病或将疾病传播给人类宿主。学生还将研究和分享有关蚊子传播的常见疾病的信息，以及减少和预防人类宿主之间疾病传播的步骤。总体而言，学生将更好地了解蚊子、疾病和昆虫媒介。蚊子复制品将用于交互式疾病传播和传播活动。学生将了解疾病的传播方式因宿主而异，以及一些蚊子如何永远不会携带疾病或将疾病传播给人类宿主。学生还将研究和分享有关蚊子传播的常见疾病的信息，以及减少和预防人类宿主之间疾病传播的步骤。总体而言，学生将更好地了解蚊子、疾病和昆虫媒介。