Mosquitoes in the spotlight due to eastern equine encephalitis, West Nile virus

The world’s deadliest animal can be squashed flat with a quick slap: It’s the mosquito.

The buzzing insects are more than annoying — they spread disease. When they bite and drink blood from a person or animal they can pick up viruses or germs too. If they can go on to bite someone or something else, they deposit the germ right under the skin.

People in some areas of Massachusetts have been warned to stay indoors when mosquitoes are most active after a rare case of eastern equine encephalitis was discovered.