JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Few animals on earth evoke the same hate and discomfort as mosquitoes. With more than 3,000 species of mosquito in the world, they definitely have the numbers to ruin a backyard barbeque or a hiking trip.
Looking beyond the inconvenience of a few itchy bites, they can cause some serious damage. According to the World Health Organization, mosquitoes are the greatest menace when it comes to disease-transmitting insects. They are responsible for several million deaths and hundreds of millions of cases every year involving malaria, dengue and yellow fever.
Because of Alaska’s colder weather, these deadly species of mosquitoes aren’t necessarily a problem. Even so, for further testing the 673d Aerospace Medicine Squadron traps local mosquitoes.
“Alaska doesn’t have any mosquito species with known diseases,” said Air Force Capt. Justin Whitaker, with the 673d AMDS. “Here at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, were one of only three government organizations in Alaska that trap mosquitoes in order to have them tested for viruses and diseases.”
Airman 1st Class Brendan Rapp, 673d AMDS public health technician, sets out every Wednesday from May until September, to drop off miniature light traps at eight different locations throughout JBER.
Because mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide, the traps use dry ice to bring in more potential test subjects, Rapp said. The traps are equipped with nets and picked up the next morning.
The nets from each separate trap are then put in the freezer overnight and mosquitoes are sorted Friday morning.
“We have to send 10 percent from each trap to get tested,” Rapp said. “We sort through the collection to get rid of other bugs and male mosquitoes and work primarily with female mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes are the ones that feed on blood in order to hatch their eggs, so those are the ones we look for.”
The samples of the collected 10 percent are then sent to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to be tested by an entomologist. Results are sent back to the JBER hospital within a couple of weeks and reported to the state of Alaska.
Though no diseases or viruses have been found in Alaska’s mosquitoes, the 673d AMDS continues to diligently search for possible threats and provides the JBER and Alaska community peace of mind over an issue that could be very dangerous.