Mosquitoes known to carry dengue, yellow fever seen in California

By Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A tropical mosquito known to carry potentially fatal diseases such as dengue and yellow fever has been detected in California, raising concerns among public health officials and prompting intense efforts to eradicate the insect. No illnesses associated with the mosquito, known by the scientific name Aedes aegypti, have been reported since it first appeared in California’s Central Valley in June, and none of the specimens trapped and tested has been found to be infected. “If it gets established, it’s going to change the way we live in California,” Tim Phillips, manager of the Fresno Mosquito and Vector Control District, which identified some of the first small invaders, said on Wednesday. How Aedes aegypti was introduced to the California remains a mystery.