Mary Hayden: Studying the Human Side of Mosquito Risk

Dr. Mary Hayden recently traveled to Colombia to answer a question about mosquitoes that was actually about us humans. Specifically, she wanted to know how human behavior shapes the risk of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, Zika, and yellow fever. From unregulated areas with limited water access to neighborhoods in the U.S., she’s found that our daily habits, infrastructure, and even trust in information can either reduce or increase that risk.

 We tell people all the time, 'Dump standing water in your yard,' but oftentimes people are too busy, or they don't think about it, or they forget about it, or their kids put a toy out there and they didn't realize the toy was out there.

Hear Mary talk about:

• How her interest in climate led to a focus on human behavior and disease transmission
• What she observed in Colombian communities where water access is scarce and mosquitoes thrive
• How perception of risk and trust in messengers impact public health efforts
• Practical ways you can protect yourself from mosquitoes and ticks
• Why some prevention strategies are simple, yet are still so hard to make stick

Mentioned in this episode:

• More about Dr. Mary Hayden
• BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) – Bacteria used to kill mosquito larvae in standing water
• Engineers Without Borders – Organization developing low-cost solutions for clean water and storage safety
• Permethrin – Insecticide applied to clothing to repel mosquitoes and ticks
• Bug repellents like Picaridin, DEET, and the plant-based Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus

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