Even Leaders of the Free World Have Had to Battle Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes have been a menace to society since the pre-historic era, and no human is immune to their annoyance. As the world and its communities have developed, mosquitoes have become a global enemy for leaders worldwide. Continue reading for a recap of the United States president's plight with mosquitoes.

George Washington

Our nation's first president contracted malaria at 17 while living in Virginia. He suffered from re-occurring flare-ups throughout his life. As president, he had to deal with the outbreak of yellow fever transmitted by mosquitoes. To escape the epidemic, he moved the capitol from Philadelphia, PA, to Germantown, MD, in 1793.

Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln contracted malaria at least twice between 1830 and 1835 while living in Illinois. In 1832 Lincoln was serving as a soldier in the Black Hawk War and later shared that his most epic battles were against mosquitoes when he told a reporter he had "a good many bloody struggles with the mosquitoes."

Theodore Roosevelt

Roosevelt contracted malaria after a visit to the Amazon rainforest. The effects of it left him physically weak, and Roosevelt spent many years bedridden due to this mosquito-borne disease.

Andrew Jackson

Jackson is another president who battled mosquitoes but unfortunately lost. Jackson contracted malaria during the Seminole Wars in Florida.

John F. Kennedy

JFK contracted Malaria during World War II while in the Solomon Islands.

The Office of Malaria Control in War Areas was established in 1942 to limit the impact of malaria (and other vector-borne diseases) during World War II. By 1951, malaria was essentially eradicated in the United States.

You're not the first to wage war on mosquitoes, but you don't have to face the battle alone. Contact your local Mosquito Squad today!