Culex
Culex
Culex (/ˈkjuːlɛks/; from Latin: culex meaning "gnat" or "midge") is a genus of mosquitoes, several species of which serve as vectors of important diseases of birds, humans, and other animals.
Etymology
The term Culex comes from the Latin word culex, which translates to "gnat" or "midge". This is likely due to the small size and similar appearance of mosquitoes to these insects.
Pronunciation
The term Culex is pronounced as /ˈkjuːlɛks/.
Related Terms
- Vector (epidemiology): An organism, typically a biting insect or tick, that transmits a disease or parasite from one animal or plant to another.
- Mosquito: A small flying insect that is a carrier of disease.
- Disease: A particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not due to any immediate external injury.
- Parasite: An organism that lives in or on an organism of another species (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other's expense.
Diseases Transmitted
The Culex species are known to transmit several diseases, including:
- West Nile virus: A virus that causes a mosquito-borne infection which can lead to severe flu-like symptoms in humans.
- St. Louis encephalitis: A disease that is spread by the bite of a mosquito, and can cause inflammation of the brain.
- Japanese encephalitis: A viral brain infection that's spread through mosquito bites, it's most common in rural areas throughout East Asia and the Western Pacific.
- Avian malaria: A parasitic disease of birds, caused by parasite species belonging to the genus Plasmodium. It is transmitted by mosquitoes of the Culex and Aedes genera.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Culex
- Wikipedia's article - Culex
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