Spread of tiger mosquito behind rise of dengue fever in Europe

An invasive species of mosquito has been present in 13 international locations within the EU, together with France, Spain and Greece, with specialists linking their discovery to an increase in dengue fever in Europe.

Local weather change is creating beneficial situations for the tiger mosquito to unfold, mentioned the European Centre for Illness Prevention and Management (ECDC).

As far north as Paris, the place the Olympic Video games will happen on the finish of July, authorities have been monitoring and trapping the insect.

The ECDC has warned worldwide journey will additional improve the danger of extra European outbreaks.

It has suggested folks to take away stagnant water from gardens or balconies, the place mosquitoes can breed, and use repellent and mosquito nets at night time.

Mosquitoes have turn into a rising risk in Europe over the previous twenty years.

The Asian tiger mosquito, aedes albopictus, which is considered essentially the most invasive species of mosquito on the earth, is now spreading throughout Europe from its southern European ‘base camp’.

It has turn into established in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain, in line with the ECDC.

It has additionally been recorded in Belgium, Cyprus, Czechia, the Netherlands and Slovakia.

Tiger mosquitoes unfold illnesses resembling dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika virus which, till lately, have been usually solely current in components of Africa, Asia and the Americas.

One other mosquito, aedes aegypti, which transmits yellow fever, in addition to different illnesses, has arrange residence in Cyprus. Consultants say its potential for spreading to different components of Europe is “regarding” given its desire for biting people, and its capability to transmit illness.

Dengue begins with flu-like signs however can turn into critical and, in some instances, deadly.

Mass outbreaks have been rising lately. Final yr eight incidents of a number of infections have been recorded in France, 4 in Italy and two in Spain.

Most European instances are imported – a mirrored image of the worldwide motion of individuals and commerce, with imported instances hovering to almost 5,000 final yr.

However locally-acquired infections are additionally rising: 130 folks have been affected in 2023, up from 71 the yr earlier than.

West Nile virus, which can be transmitted by mosquitoes, is now current in additional European areas than ever earlier than.

One individual was reported to be contaminated by the virus in southern Spain in the beginning of March, highlighting how local weather situations are creating an acceptable surroundings for mosquitoes even “very early within the yr”, the ECDC mentioned.

“Europe is already seeing how local weather change is creating extra beneficial situations for invasive mosquitos to unfold into beforehand unaffected areas and infect extra folks with illnesses resembling dengue,” mentioned ECDC director Andrea Ammon.

“Elevated worldwide journey from dengue-endemic international locations will even improve the danger of imported instances, and inevitably additionally the danger of native outbreaks.”

Ms Ammon advises folks take “private protecting measures”, including that “early detection of instances, well timed surveillance, additional analysis and awareness-raising actions are paramount in these areas in Europe most in danger”.

Dengue fever is endemic in additional than 100 international locations around the globe, in line with the World Well being Group (WHO), with greater than six million instances and seven,000 deaths reported final yr.

The very best variety of instances happen in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Malaria is essentially the most lethal mosquito-borne illness on the planet. It spreads to folks by means of the bites of contaminated feminine mosquitoes referred to as anopheles, which have additionally been present in Europe.

There are considerations incidents of malaria might additionally spike on the continent sooner or later, if situations are proper.