Customer Reviews

Mosquito: A Natural History of Our Most Persistent and Deadly Foe

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is fun book about a subject that everybody hates. Nobody likes mosquitos, they are annoying little beasts and some of them may just kill you. The book starts with a summary of how mosquitos live and reproduce. The only complaint that I have is that I wish this section was a little longer. I would have liked it if the book went into a bit more detail about the diversity of mosquitos. I liked the way the book described the influences that mosquitos have had through history. The sections about yellow fever and malaria are informative. I really enjoyed this book. It does give you a good feel for how these little terrors are dealt with. The books is a fast read and it keeps your interest. If you travel or have an interest in mosquitos, this would be a good read.

Prison life brings home to a man how nature carries on its quiet, care-free life quite unconcerned,

and makes one feel almost sentimental towards animal and plant life--except for flies; I can't work up any sentiment about them! -Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Prisoner for God : Letters and Papers from Prison

If I were to say to you that this book tells you everything you need to know about mosquitoes, your initial reaction, like mine, would likely be that you already know too much : they are damned annoying pests. But Andrew Spielman, a Harvard professor, and his coauthor, Michael D'Antonio, have produced a concise and very interesting volume about the mosquito that is well worth reading. The secret of their success lies in the fact that though Professor Spielman obviously feels that the mosquito is fascinating in its own right, the book focusses more on the deadly interaction between the bugs, the various diseases they transmit, and humankind. At a time when the whole Northeast braces to see where birds are dying of West Nile virus, this makes the book quite topical.

In a sense, the book has a tragic, or potentially tragic, arc to it. After some introductory material about mosquitoes, the authors go on to discuss the truly heroic efforts that were made to identify the cause of malaria, and once mosquitoes were identified as the culprits, to combat this pest. Eventually, this led to a wholesale effort to eradicate the disease entirely, an effort which obviously failed, despite some marked successes. In this section of the book Spielman is refreshingly forthright about the reasons for the ultimate failures and about what worked and what didn't. Essentially, success was predicated on : draining water sources that in the past had been allowed to stagnate; installing screens in homes and using netting at night; pouring oil on the standing water where mosquitoes breed; and brief but aggressive use of insecticides, like DDT; made it possible to limit and in some cases eliminate malaria outbreaks in human populations. It was not actually necessary to wipe out the mosquitoes, merely to deny them easy contact with already diseased humans.

But in recent decades a number of factors have combined to deter the application of these techniques. The most obvious has been the hysteria over DDT and other insecticides, much of it stirred up by Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring. The wild overreaction to potential problems with the way in which these chemicals were being used fifty years ago has made it difficult to deploy one of our most effective weapons in the fight against mosquitoes. Problems have also arisen because eradication programs are seen as interfering with the rights of natives and have been perceived as part of the broader imperialist, racist, hegemonic, imposition of Western will on Third World nations. Also, though the book does not discuss it, the current fetishisizing of wetlands seems as if it must inevitably create situations where human populations are once again living in close proximity to the miasmic waters where mosquitoes breed, a frightening reversal of the long and arduous drainage process that had done so much to limit this kind of contact.

Meanwhile, man has continued to expand his reach into the remotest corners of the globe, in the process being exposed to rarer and less well understood diseases than malaria. At the same time, air travel and shipping (particularly of old tires, as the reader will be fascinated to find out) have served to spread both mosquitoes and these diseases throughout the world. Such are the elements that went into the appearance of West Nile virus in New England over the past few years.

Mosquito discusses this history and the many issues involved in a clear and fair fashion. The authors avoid easy blame-casting and are generous--perhaps overgenerous--in assessing folks motives, but they make it quite obvious that we've placed ourselves in a dangerous situation. After a years long struggle against the mosquito, we seem to be quite consciously ignoring everything we've learned, to have surrendered our most effective weapons in the struggle against one of nature's most potent disease vectors. The book concludes with a series of eminently sensible steps that we can all take, and steps that public health officials must take, in order for man to coexist with mosquitoes, without putting ourselves at unnecessary and potentially disastrous risk. Even if most of us will feel that some of the motivation for these measured steps stems from a little to great a respect and fondness for the mosquito on Spielman's part, it is nonetheless true that by the end of the book, he's made a compelling case that, even if we won't all love them as he does, we are likely to have to accept the idea that, however bothersome, they will always be with us. His suggestions are sensible and moderate enough that it seems like that we should be able to do so.

GRADE : B+

"The saliva that they leave behind might make you itchy, or if you are really unlucky, you might die".

If you are like me and seem to attract these buzzing beasts you will enjoy this book, although bear in mind it is rather technical and written mainly for the scientifically minded.

Some useful information includes:

-carbon dioxide and heat attracts them, (but it doesn't seem to be explained here why they seem to like some people more than others, or whether it is just that some people react to bites more than others),
-various species attack different parts of the body (eg some the ankles, some the head),
-some don't attack humans at all,
-some attack only humans and monkeys,
-colours vary-some are black and white striped, (these cause yellow fever), others are brown, others dominantly grey.
-the mosquito has had a significant effect on human history through various mosquito borne diseases (eg Dengue, Yellow Fever, Malaria, Encephalitus, and Rift Valley Fever).
-various mosquito-borne diseases are exclusive to birds, some cross from birds to man, some from horses to man, some from monkeys to man, etc.

Some historical plagues and the diseases transmitted by mosquitoes are described eg Dengue, Yellow Fever, Malaria , Encephalitus, and Rift Valley Fever. Historically, it was initially ridiculed that tiny organisms could carry tiny diseases, but careful observation and scientific method eventually won the day over 'folk psychology'. Mosquitoes, through recognition of their association with yellow fever and malaria, played a major part in the development of germ theory, and by association much of modern medicine. Pasteur's germ theory, partially based on work done on mosquitoes as disease carriers, contributed much to humankind's better general health in the latter 19th century in particular. Good sanitation and community health went hand in hand with ongoing scientific research, including that done on mosquito-borne diseases.

Sanitation has been surprisingly effective against mosquito-borne diseases. Limiting stagnant water and widespread use of household netting has been proven to greatly reduce disease rates. The presence of marshes and wetlands increases prevalence, but so does the presence of the longer- lived and more aggressive species (Incidentally, Alaska has amongst the most aggressive mossies of all-which anyone who has been there in the summer will tell you).

A useful read, scientifically astute, but perhaps a little dry, along with most other medical-style texts I have read. Worthwhile.

Mosquito: A Natural History Of Our Most Persistent And Deadly Foe
by Andrew Spielman, Sc.D., and Michael D'Antonio
Hard cover - 226 pages (June 13, 2001). Hyperion Books, ISBN;0-7868-6781-7; Dimensions: unknown.

Reviewed by Keith Jackson.

On a warm summer's evening, the persistant hum of a mosquito sends us into a frenzy of flailing arms intent on squashing out her existence . A simple pest in our eyes in this day and age, and yet just a few decades ago, in this country, that same hum could be a precursor to weeks or months of painful suffering or even death at the "hands" of microscopic pathogens she harbored in her mouth (I use a female pronoun, as for the most part, only the female mosquito does the biting).

"Mosquito" takes the reader on a journey through time from ancient Greece, Rome and Africa through contemporary times in the United States and South America. Spielman and D' Antonio seamlessly incorporate world history with a crash course in biology, focusing mainly on mosquito vector borne diseases. Malaria, Dengue and Yellow Fever occupy many of the pages, as do their specific species of vector.

The book is organized into three parts, each with three chapters. The first part, the "Magnificent Enemy," portrays the mosquito as more than just another biting bug. It shows the reader how well adapted, truly beautiful, and wonderful she actually is. The life cycles are explained in terms that the layman can easily follow, and some illustrations are furnished as an aid.

One of my favorite chapters in the book, "Tigers and Tires," depicted how extremely well this insect can adapt to an ever changing world, and how humans are an enormous factor in how well the insects can spread to and flourish in nonnative habitats. The chapter focuses on the Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) which is usually an insect that breeds in dark holes beneath tree roots and the like. They came to this country from Asia in large vessels that carried tires that had been re-treaded in Japan and returned to the US for use. The tires make excellent substitutes for dark, wet holes in which the tiger found to be a perfect breeding ground; the tiger mosquito quickly invaded the southeast U.S. She can play host to some virulent pathogens like, Dengue, Easter Equine Encephalitis, and West Nile virus, among others. She feeds on animal as well as human, which as the author points out has positive and negative effects. While she can acquire pathogens from her mammalian blood meals and transmit them to humans, her chance of feeding on human blood is lowered by having other options to nourish her egg laying (Spielman and D' Antonio, 2001).

The science behind the discovery of the mosquito being the vector to many pathogens is addressed in part two of the book. Spielman (et al) uses many stories throughout the book to tie the entomology into situations that were occurring during each time period that he speaks about; from the development of the compound microscope, in times when man didn't believe that a miniscule bug could transmit a disease, through the discovery of the sporozoites of Malaria in Anophaline mosquitos. During which time, the authors share stories of brave men and their survival in the Ivory Coast (where Malaria is thought to have originated) and more personal stories of letters between scientists like Manson and Ross from across the globe working toward a common goal (establishing the life cycle of Malaria).

Part three consisted of more current times, when political leaders used their knowledge of insect vectors and pathogen transmission against the Mosquito. They waged wars against the vampiric insect to dispel the horrible diseases she caused using chemicals such as DDT without concern of ecological implications . They changed the landscape by creating drainage ditches, or changed the grades of river banks, depending on the type mosquito they were faced with. A story about using that same information for more villanous effects came during W.W.II when it was noticed that vector borne diseases seemed to aid in battle by weakening enemy forces. In one of the chapters in this part, Spielman elaborates on how the military (German in this case) destroyed flood gates around Rome, which changed the salinity of the water and created a perfect breeding ground for Anopheles species which resulted in an epidemic of Malaria.

I enjoyed this book for the most part; while I am not a history buff in the least, the way the authors tied the history to the biology was beautifully done. That being said, in a few chapters, I felt as though I was reading about politics rather than the beautiful insect vectors at hand. I would also like to have seen more photographs of the insects, their larvae, and pupae. The couple visuals that were supplied were either of rare species or illustrations and maps of disease prone areas. I also felt the background behind the pathology was lacking, many cases were described and symptoms discussed, but I was comfortable understanding them only due to my medical background; Im not sure how well a lay person would follow. On a whole, I recommend the book to anyone who has ever stopped and looked at the mosquito in all her beauty before swatting her away, to the biology lovers of the world, to any historians who would like to see how a tiny bug can help shape or destroy a society, or to anyone who just blindly slaps when they hear that tell-tale hum.

Mosquitoes are perhaps the most dangerous of all insects. Somewhere around 2 million people die each year from mosquito-vectored human malaria alone- many more than are killed in traffic accidents (source: WHO.) Andrew Spielman and Michael D'Antonio have now produced a book that documents the life history of and human association with these tiny vampires and they have generally done a very good job. If you want to know some fascinating facts about mosquitoes, this is a good source.

Unfortunately the maps of the distributions of both mosquitoes and the diseases they carry are somewhat out of date. Aedes aegypti is now in Tucson, Las Cruces, and El Paso in the Southwest U.S., and West Nile is in almost every state. Also the information about the vectors of West Nile Virus is an oversimplification. In the western US at least, Culex tarsalis my be a more efficient vector than C. pipiens.

Despite these minor flaws, I highly recommend this book. It is one of the best general work on the subject since J. D. Gillett's book "The Mosquito." Unfortunately both are now out of print.

Who would ever have known the amazing history behind one of the most annoying things that summer brings us every year? This insect, actually bringing the human race to its knees, is remarkable beyond belief. Mr. D'Antonio's ability to keep me interested in a subject that most people would never give a passing thought to is quite a feat. I couldn't wait for the end of my work day so that I could find a seat on the railroad and read up on what havoc this pest had, and still is, causing. Maybe one day we will be able to use this insect to pass along something that will help, rather then hinder, our health. Congratulations to Mr. D'Antonio on his excellent work.

I especially liked the author's in-depth treatment of the subject; fascinating! A "must-read" for all who live south of the Mason-Dixon Line!

I am a mosquito magnet. As a result, I wanted to learn as much as possible about this pest in an effort to minimize their impact on my outdoor life. Maybe, it isn't as good as repellent, but it did provide me with a much greater understanding of the enemy. My degree is in Biology. Even so, I appreciated not having to wade through a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo. The only science challenge in reading this book will be trying to pronounce the scientific names of the various species.

The book is organized into three parts. Part One describes the pest's life cycle and it's place in the natural world. Part Two gets into how the mosquito has shaped whole societies by being a vector of various diseases and parasites. Part Three lays out what science has done, and continues to do, to try to control mosquitos and minimize their effect on not only the third world, but in major world cities. There are many, many interesting tales and stories of man against mosquito.

Initially, I was looking for a book that presented the most up to date facts on the biology and control of the mosquito. When the book arrived from Amazon, I thought that I was going to be disappointed. Not so, the book was an excellent presentation of an us (and other warm blooded animals)against them story. I don't think that you'll be disappointed by this book.

I read this book expecting a true "natural history" of mosquitoes--information on how they live and where they live and their life cycles, etc. etc.

Some of that is indeed included here, but not as much as I might have wished, and perhaps not as well illustrated as one might have wished. (There's a detailed description of how a mosquito bites, but it would have been a lot better with an illustration.)

What is here--in spades--is a detailed description of the mosquito-borne illnesses that plague humans. The historical information on how mosquitoes were discovered to be the vectors for yellow fever, for instance, is great. Details about humankind's seemingly eternal battle against malaria (still ongoing) are also wonderful.

But, oh, how depressing! Much of the world's population seems caught between the devil and the deep blue sea: DDT or death.

I recommend this book--it's a fast read--to anybody curious about the history of insect vectors, public health and also general ecology.

For anyone who must venture outdoors and do battle with one of man's oldest foes, this outstanding volume should be, to borrow an overused line in mutliple action movies, "required reading at the academy." Above that, the text shines as perfect example of a most knowledgable researcher and an accomplished writer coming to together to create a work that is as entertaining as it is informative. It is a concise compulation of first hand research and telling anecdotes, fascinating historical accounts of courageous sacrifices and often tragic outcomes, and practical and promising solutions, in the face of dire predictions and previously lost battles, for finding a way to live with this pesky triumph of evolution.