Aedes is a
genus of
mosquitoes originally found in tropical and
subtropical zones, but now found on all
continents except
Antarctica. Some species have been spread by
human activity.
Aedes albopictus, a most
invasive species, was recently spread to the
New World, including the
US, by the used-tire trade. First described and named by
German entomologist Johann Wilhelm Meigen in 1818, the
generic name comes from the
Ancient Greek ἀηδής,
aēdēs, meaning "unpleasant" or "odious". The
type species for
Aedes is
Aedes cinereus. Some species of this genus transmit serious diseases, including
dengue fever,
yellow fever, the
Zika virus, and
chikungunya. In
Polynesia, the species
Aedes polynesiensis is responsible for the transmission of
human lymphatic filariasis.