Mosquitoes That Can Carry Zika Found in 40 U.S. States

Aedes albopictus map via CDC/Journal of Medical Entomology

Mosquitoes that can carry Zika live in nearly every state in the country, according to a new report from the CDC. Massachusetts is home to one of the two species highlighted in the report.

Using a slew of records from national, state, and local sources, the CDC mapped the appearance of two potentially Zika-carrying types of mosquitoes—Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus—between 1995 and 2016. Forty states and Washington, D.C. have seen at least one of those species during that time period, according to the maps.

Aedes albopictus, the more widespread and less concerning of the two varieties, has been spotted in Massachusetts and several other New England states. The only New England state with a recorded Aedes aegypti population is New Hampshire.

It’s important to note that not all mosquitoes that can carry Zika do carry Zika, and the CDC has not identified any active transmissions in the continental United States. That’s in part because, as the researchers write in the report, our erratic weather conditions and high-quality sanitation, housing, and medical care lessen the risk of a native outbreak.

Be that as it may, the researchers say that it’s worth monitoring the presence of Aedes aegypti and albopictus. “Our findings underscore the need for systematic surveillance of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus in the United States and delineate areas with risk for the transmission of these introduced arboviruses,” the report says.

Aedes aegypti map via CDC/Journal of Medical Entomology