2023-07-11 12:14:00
Itching, redness or swelling… Mosquito bites are very unpleasant. Depending on the species that bites you, they can even become dangerous to your health. Indeed, some mosquitoes are vectors of serious diseases. This is the case of the tiger mosquito.
Originally from the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, it is spreading more and more over the national territory. In a study published on July 11, Public Health France reveals an increase in “exceptional” dengue cases in 2022.
What is the tiger mosquito?
Unlike the common mosquito, the tiger mosquito, also called Aedes albopictus, is diurnal. That means that it will sting during the day. Moreover, it is not noisy like the others but silent. Physically, certain traits also set it apart from the common mosquito. Thus, it stands out for its small size. ANSES details: “the tiger mosquito is smaller than a 1 euro cent coin (i.e. less than 0.5 centimeters)”.
As for its color, the name is misleading. Indeed, one might believe it in the colors of a tiger, yellow and black. Nevertheless, the tiger mosquito is white and black. It is also characterized by a white line along the chest, and striped legs. Beyond these differences, the tiger mosquito is also distinguished from others by its ability to transmit many viruses.
Dengue fever, chikungunya…: the tiger mosquito is a vector of serious viruses
All Mosquitoes do not transmit viruses. ANSES considers that they are regarding 400 speciesamong the 3,500 existing ones, to be vectors of disease. In these cases, the mosquito must first become infected, by sucking the blood of an infected victim. Then the infected mosquito, transmits the virus to its next victim.
The tiger mosquito is one of these virus-carrying insects. Among the diseases it transmits are:
Dengue fever: a disease whose common form is benign, but which can lead to death in the event of a severe form. Chikungunya: the disease is characterized by headaches, muscle and joint pain. “The disease can also progress to a chronic phase marked by persistent and incapacitating joint pain”, adds Public Health France. Zika: this virus is associated can lead to several complications. These last can be neurological, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, or even birth defectsif a pregnant woman is bitten.
Tiger mosquito monitoring since 2006
If the tiger mosquito is native to Asia, it has now spread to the whole planet. According to ANSES, only Antarctica is still preserved from this insect. This is due in particular to the numerous commercial exchanges or travels. It is estimated that the insect arrived on French territory in 2004. Currently, the tiger mosquito is present in 71 departments of metropolitan France.
Faced with the risk of spread, the health authorities have set up surveillance. “To limit the risk of autochthonous transmission of the arboviruses that it can transmit (dengue, chikungunya and Zika), case surveillance, imported and native, has been in place since 2006“, details Public Health France in its report. This surveillance notably involves mandatory case reporting. The latter is reinforced between May and November, period when the mosquito is most active.
Tiger mosquito: a worrying increase in cases in 2022
Despite the vigilance of the health authorities, the tiger mosquito continues to spread. In its latest report published on July 11, Public Health France explains: “In 2022, 378 imported cases of dengue fever, 23 of chikungunya and six of Zika have been notified in mainland France“. An unprecedented and judged situation “exceptional” by the health authority. Cases of dengue fever have particularly exploded. By way of comparison, the number of cases of autochthonous dengue fever recorded in the year 2022 is higher than cases identified between 2010 and 2021. In 2022, 66 cases have been identified once morest 48 over the last ten years. Public Health France explains that an indigenous case is: “when a person has not traveled in the 15 days preceding their clinical signs and has become contaminated from a local mosquito, who had infected himself by biting a viraemic person, returning from a trip to an endemic area“.
Thus, the situation worries the health authorities, who remain attentive to the evolution of the situation. “The multiplication of episodes and the extension of their geographical distribution might jeopardize the viability of the system“, explains Public Health France. The health organization calls for reinforce vigilance as well as prevention in order to avoid an increase in cases.
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