What disease can Anopheles quadrimaculatus transmit?

• A. Malaria
• B. Dengue
• C. Yellow Fever
• D. Zika Virus

Answer: (A)

Anopheles quadrimaculatus is part of the Anopheles group that transmits malaria. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites and is spread when an infected female mosquito bites a person, injecting the parasites with its saliva. This species has historically served as a malaria vector in parts of North America, which is why malaria is the correct disease associated with it. Dengue, yellow fever, and Zika virus are transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes (such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus), not by Anopheles quadrimaculatus, so those diseases aren’t linked to this mosquito. Understanding which mosquitoes carry which diseases helps target surveillance and control efforts effectively.