that’s where it’s circulating – Time

The tiger is awakening. Not the feline, but the mosquito. It has already been reported in Southern Italy and experts expect to soon spot it further North, in Milan. In the spotlight since the Dengue alert was triggered, in the wake of the emergency situation they are experiencing in South America, Aedes albopicuts, the real scientific name of the tiger mosquito, is entering its season. And this is why “it is a priority to promptly reduce the number of mosquitoes that can be potential vectors of viruses in general”. Sara Epis, associate professor of parasitology at the University of Milan, outlines the situation. Mission: to map the buzzing insect with the team of colleagues from the Entopar group, for a complete census of this invisible population that inhabits the Peninsula. In the Lombard capital, he explains to Adnkronos Salute, “at the moment the tiger mosquito has not yet been reported. It is not present because the nights are still quite cold. Unlike in the South. Already, for example, in Rome this species is circulating, so much so that the capital has started with disinfestation and control campaigns in the city. Obviously it always depends a lot on the climatic conditions, but we expect that by the end of the month tiger mosquitoes will begin to circulate here too”.

The one who is already making itself felt is the Culex pipiens mosquito, our nocturnal mosquito, an important vector of the West Nile virus. “It is already circulating, we have already found some in the city of Milan, some adults present”, reports Epis. As for the tiger mosquito, feared more than ever in Italy this year, “it is a widespread species in the urban area – says the expert – This is a mosquito that adapts very well to different conditions and domestic environments, just a little is enough water so that it can lay its eggs. Therefore, saucers, buckets left on balconies or in gardens, or all those areas that have stagnant water in city parks are favorable environments for development. It is a mosquito that therefore does not need of particular situations” to thrive. Are some Milanese neighborhoods generally a favorite home for the tiger mosquito, and therefore more infested than others? “We are working in different sites and its distribution is rather homogeneous throughout the territory – observes the expert – Obviously last year during the summer in the areas where important disinfestation campaigns are carried out we captured a limited number. While instead we worked in particular in areas such as the botanical gardens, where they were reported, therefore in the center of the city anyway”.