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Mosquitoes are responsible for millions of deaths each year through the spread of diseases like malaria,dengue fever, and West Nile virus.

Malaria, a flu-like illness caused by parasites that only mosquitoes carry, infected 219 million people in 2010 and killed 660,000, according to theWorld Health Organization.

By comparison, sharks, snakes, and bears combined only kill about 100,100 people every year mostly because of the snakes.

According to American Mosquito Control Association technical advisor Joe Conlon, malaria kills the equivalent of nine Boeing 747s full of children every year.

"Now think about what the headlines would read if we had nine airlines crashing in the jungle every day and killing all the children," Conlontold Business Insider.

Fortunately, malaria is treatable. But many other mosquito-borne illnesses some that haven't yet reached the United States don't have proven antidotes.

"The nastiest diseases on the planet are only a 7-hour plane ride away," Conlon said.

Below are some of the worst mosquito-borne illnesses. Currently, none of them have any treatments or vaccines.

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