The most common mode of transmission for Zika virus is through the bite of an Aedes aegypti mosquito. Brazil is fighting back against the disease with its latest Zika virus prevention method--by installing billboards that kill mosquitoes.
Advertising agencies Posterscope and NBS created "The Mosquito Killer Billboard," which can kill hundreds of mosquitoes every day, Tech Times reports. In Rio de Janeiro, two billboards have already been installed but the advertising agencies are calling for more billboard installations in Brazil.
Zika has reached the U.S. and we can't wait any longer to act. Tell Congress to address this public health crisis: https://t.co/H0jvAG9rZ2
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 23, 2016
This innovative Zika virus prevention method lures mosquitoes by imitating human breath and sweating through the release of carbon dioxide and lactic acid. "Mosquitoes attracted to the billboard are trapped as they stick upon landing and eventually die because of dehydration," Tech Times explains.
These mosquito killer billboards are said to be capable of luring mosquitoes from up to 1.5 miles away. However, some pest control experts believe that the mosquito killer billboards should be installed in a place where not too many people are around in order to prevent people from getting bitten.
Zika in the United States. pic.twitter.com/MVSYK5FPPj — Fox News (@FoxNews) April 24, 2016
The Aedes aegypti mosquito can cause other diseases aside from Zika virus. The dangerous insect can also cause dengue fever, chikungunya virus, and yellow fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC also encourages people to practice different Zika virus prevention techniques in their everyday life. Wearing long sleeves, wearing pants, properly applying mosquito repellent, treating clothes with permethrin, eliminating stagnant water around the area and keeping the doors and windows closed are effective methods in preventing Zika transmission, according to the CDC.
