2023-08-28 12:51:02
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Mosquito alarm on Lake Garda: holiday resorts take action following cases of dengue fever. Anti-mosquito decree issued. © Imago/Montage
The fear of dengue fever on Lake Garda is growing. After suspected cases, the alert level in Lombardy was increased. The virus spreads through mosquito bites.
Manerba – On Lake Garda, a specialist company is spraying insecticides on affected streets. Residents are called upon to drive away mosquitoes by any means necessary and to protect themselves from bites as much as possible. Dengue fever has arrived in a popular holiday destination in Italy. Anti-mosquito measures have started in the Lake Garda municipalities of Maneraba and Padenghe (Italy). Two dengue cases are now known there. It’s not scaremongering, local Italian media report, but prevention.
Dengue fever on Lake Garda: holiday resorts fight once morest tropical mosquitoes
In order to curb the spread of the dengue virus on Lake Garda, the mayor of the affected municipality of Manerba del Garda ordered special measures. In the area of the presumed virus circulation, behaviors to avoid mosquito bites are to be implemented.
The residents are according to the regulation, as the Italian news portal gardapost.it reported, advised to wear long clothing to cover the skin and protect once morest stings. The application of insect repellent is also recommended. Since the mosquitoes multiply in standing water, water accumulations – for example in the saucers of flower pots – must be removed. This applies to outdoor pots as well as indoors. Mosquito nets on doors and windows are intended to prevent the bloodsuckers from entering houses and apartments. Smoke spirals outdoors or electric heaters indoors are suitable for keeping mosquitoes away.
The areas most affected and affected by the specific disinfestation in Manerba are therefore Via Prezzolaro, Via Panoramica and Via S. Francesco.
Mosquito alarm on Lake Garda: holiday resorts take action following cases of dengue fever. Anti-mosquito decree issued. © Imago/Montage
Dengue fever at Lake Garda: diurnal mosquitoes transmit tropical virus
The dengue virus is only transmitted through the bite of a mosquito of the genus Aedes – such as the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus). They are diurnal mosquitoes. However, if one of these mosquitoes is infected with dengue, it causes a severe flu-like illness in humans. According to the Italian Ministry of Health, life-threatening complications such as bleeding or shock can sometimes occur.
There is no direct human-to-human transmission. The mosquito must have bitten a previously infected person.
Almost 50 cases have been diagnosed in Italy since January 2023, the Italian newspaper reported The day. The two dengue cases on Lake Garda are therefore not isolated cases. There are also cases of dengue fever in Croatia, France and Germany. It is all the more important to know the symptoms of a dengue infection.
Dengue cases in Lake Garda: These symptoms appear following infection with the virus
However, the symptoms following a dengue infection can hardly be distinguished from the flu Tropical Institute of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich with. After a bite from an infected mosquito, symptoms of dengue appear regarding three to 10 days later. Acute symptoms such as fever, body aches or severe headaches subside following around three to seven days. According to tropical disease experts, the dengue virus can be detected in the blood with a rapid test.
Dengue or dengue fever symptomsFlu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache and severe body aches, skin rash that can resemble sunburn, in rare cases, life-threatening complications and bleeding, exhaustion following a dengue infection and occasional hair loss
Source: Tropical Institute of the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Asian tiger mosquito spread in Italy and also in Germany
The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus – from: Aedes “bad” and albopictus “white markings”) is spreading successfully to all continents of the world – including Germany. The mosquito species with its distinctive white stripes originally comes from Southeast Asia. But globalization and climate change mean that more than 128 countries are now affected.
Asian tiger mosquitoes (symbol photo) can transmit dengue fever. A small stitch is enough. © imago
So far, populations in Europe have been limited to the south, because the Asian tiger mosquito is considered “warmth-loving”. But “European tiger mosquitoes” have already adapted somewhat to the changed climatic situation, according to the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (Lgl Bayern): “Eggs laid in autumn overwinter and the larvae hatch only next spring.”
Asian tiger mosquito ‘world’s deadliest animal’
The Asian tiger mosquito, called “the deadliest animal alive” by Bill Gates in 2014, can potentially transmit more than 20 viruses in addition to dengue fever, including West Nile, dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses.
Dengue Fever at Lake Garda – How to protect yourself
In addition to individual protective measures once morest mosquito bites, there is now a vaccine once morest the dengue virus. A vaccine has been available since 2023. The basic immunization consists of two vaccinations that are given three months apart. (ml)
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