More than I ever wanted to know about the life cycle of a mosquito...

This week I am working with La Agencia de Paludismo (Malaria) studying tropical diseases caused by vectors (in this case, mosquitos and an insect the size of a cochroach called a chinche).  Yesterday, Maryann and I met with Norberto, who served over 35 years for La Agencia, and is now retired - he has an unbelievable amount of passion for his job and excitement for these insects, and actually called mosquitoes beautiful.  We spent four hours discussing their entomology, and how they are controlled by La Agencia to prevent the diseases they cause - namely, Malaria, Dengue, and, to me, the most fascinating...

Chagas is caused by a parasite carried by the chinche, who live off the blood of animals.  They are an amazingly designed insect, because they have a special antiseptic that they use to numb their 'victim' before they actually bite, so the animal (or person) can't feel it, during their sleep for example.  The chinche removes about a thumbfull of blood and then, with it's belly full, proceeds to defecate as it is feeding, and the parasite lives in the chinche's poop, which then enters the bite wound, and begins to circulate through the blood.  The amazing thing about this disease is that, because of the cost of medications, it can only be detected and treated in the first 6 weeks (the person will have symptoms like a mild flu, so it can be hard to diagnose), because after that, the parasite moves to the person's heart to live dormant for about 18 to 20 years, at which time, the parasite flourishes and the person will die from the complications, usually from a heart attack.

Today, we went to a laboratory to see these parasites under a microscope, then we went to have hand made sopes to get ourselves nourished before a trip to the river to find the larvae of mosquitos.  Tomorrow we 'get' to find the adults. :)