Deadly microplastics-mosquito link

Deadlier together: Microplastics can disrupt the chemical control of mosquitoes by reducing the efficacy of insecticides on mosquitoes that have ingested the particles. — ART CHEN/The Star

MICROPLASTICS are tiny plastic fragments smaller than 5mm that have quietly invaded nearly every corner of our environment and are now being found in our bodies. A new study has suggested they might be entering our bodies in a way we never expected: through mosquito bites.

Researchers in China recently turned their attention to Culex quinquefasciatus, a mosquito species commonly found in Malaysia and known for spreading diseases like filariasis and Japanese encephalitis. What makes them even more concerning is their lifecycle, which starts in polluted water and continues on land, exposing them to microplastics in both habitats.