2023-08-04 16:57:34
The Tiger Mosquito’s Increasing Migration North Raises Concerns of Disease Transmission
Year after year, the tiger mosquito moves further north from southern Europe. Data from the European health institute ECDC shows that a growing area is affected by the insect and that the tiger mosquito has now established itself as far as the French-Belgian border. The mosquito is also increasingly appearing in the Netherlands, and experts predict its permanent establishment in the long term.
The movement of the tiger mosquito from southern Europe has been ongoing for a long time. In just ten years, the mosquito has spread from 114 regions in 8 countries to 337 regions in 13 countries in Europe, moving in an increasingly northerly direction.
“This will become more urgent for us. That is not a question of ‘maybe’, that is a fact,” says mosquito expert Bart Knols, who has been researching mosquitoes for years. “There is no other way with climate change. This is where climate change and globalization come together: the transport of goods containing mosquitoes and their eggs, and people who travel and bring diseases with them, which can transmit the mosquitoes.”
Knols emphasizes the potential dangers of this situation, describing it as a “time bomb” and predicting an “explosive growth” in the number of tiger mosquitoes, partly due to the higher temperatures resulting from climate change. Insects thrive in high temperatures, with their eggs and larvae developing very quickly under such conditions.
In our part of Europe, it often takes a week or two for the mosquitoes to mature, but at high temperatures, that timeframe reduces to just five or six days. This rapid development can lead to a population explosion of mosquitoes.
Tiger mosquitoes, recognizable by their small size and black and white stripe pattern, can spread numerous infectious diseases if they have bitten an infected person or animal. The animal, which bites mainly during the day, is often associated with dengue fever, but it can also spread other viruses, such as chikungunya and the Zika virus, which is dangerous for fetuses.
The chance of contracting infectious diseases from tiger mosquitoes in the Netherlands is currently small. These diseases only occur sporadically when someone is infected abroad and brings the virus to the Netherlands. Therefore, the likelihood of the scarce number of tiger mosquitoes spreading diseases is low.
However, there is growing concern about combating exotic mosquito species like the tiger mosquito due to climate change and other factors. It is anticipated that eradicating the species will become more difficult over time. The Asian forest mosquito is a prime example of the challenges faced in mosquito control. Although efforts were initially made to combat the mosquito in the Flevopolder area, its settlement area continued to grow, forcing authorities to halt eradication efforts.
Medical entomologist Bart Knols believes a similar fate awaits the tiger mosquito. He argues for a better approach and calls for an overarching European strategy to address the issue. European cooperation and the establishment of a centralized center dedicated to managing exotic mosquito species are crucial steps in mitigating the threat.
Mosquito traps are currently located at known risk locations such as importers of bamboo or car tires on business parks. However, the fight against tiger mosquitoes heavily relies on the cooperation of residents in residential areas where traps are not present.
With the tiger mosquito’s migration north, experts warn that urgent action is required to prevent a potential public health crisis caused by the spread of infectious diseases. Failure to address the issue comprehensively could lead to irreversible consequences. The time for action is now, before it’s too late.]
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