Upcoming mosquito-plague – warning-new infectious diseases

Strong spread of disease-transmitting mosquitoes

Diseases such as Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, and yellow fever have increased worldwide. Already, some tropical diseases, have also reached Europe. So has spread in the year 2018, the West Nile fever to Northern Italy, and also in the Czech Republic, mosquitoes with the virus were discovered. A recent study examined the spread of the two most dangerous mosquito species, and comes to the conclusion that we have a mosquito plague.

An international research team analyzed recently, the impending threat of mosquito-borne diseases. According to the researchers, climate change has created favorable conditions for the spread of dangerous mosquitoes. As global mobility accelerates according to the study, the spread of the mosquitoes. In a few years, every second man will come in the range of disease carrying blood suckers, predict the results of the study were recently presented in the prestigious scientific journal “Nature”.

Egyptian and Asian tiger mosquitoes on the rise

The tiger mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are among the world’s most dangerous mosquito species. Countries with temperate climates, such as Germany, have so far remained largely out of the dangerous mosquitoes spared, since these types of only feel in warmer areas. In the context of global warming, the tiger mosquito penetrates further and further into new habitats.

Soon every second person of tropical diseases is threatened to be

The research group has identified the factors that favour the spread of the tiger mosquito. Then the Team with these factors, as well as with the data on the spread of the last 40 years, the mosquito in the coming decades will spread calculated. “The models predict that by 2050 around half of the world’s population will live in range of these species,” the researchers say.

Many urban areas are a suitable habitat for tiger mosquitoes

“If no measures are taken to reduce the current climate, will spaces in many urban areas, new life for the tiger mosquito is open,” warns Dr. Moritz Kraemer of the University of Oxford (UK) in a press release of the study results. This could allow the spread of tropical diseases rapidly escalate and lead to veritable epidemics.

Each year, 150 kilometers in the new European catchment area

The Team collected historical data for the mosquito species Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus to over 3,000 locations in Europe and the United States, Dating back to the 1970s. In a model, the researchers calculated, what are the habitats in the year 2050 and year 2080 for the mosquito to be suitable. This includes common travel patterns and migrations were taken into account. The researchers showed that in Europe, the tiger mosquito with a frenzied speed spread. Each year the habitat of the mosquito extends to about 150 km. In the United States, the mosquito can spread even with a speed of 240 kilometers per year towards the North.

For Germany in particular, the Asian tiger mosquito is the Problem

According to the diffusion model will spread, the Egyptian tiger mosquito, predominantly in the South of Italy and Turkey, whereas the Asian tiger mosquito is spread Aedes albopictus expected to be in the whole of Europe. Within the next 30 years, large parts of France and Germany will be populated by the mosquito, the researchers say. In the case of mosquitoes in the Czech Republic, the dangerous West Nile has been found Virus already. Also, has the Virus spread on the Adriatic sea.

So you can protect yourself

In the Video you can see some tips on how mosquitoes can keep you from your environment. For more information: Effective home remedy against mosquitoes.

What are the factors that are the strongest?

According to the analysis, the distribution is driven most strongly by human movements. This change, however, within the next five to 15 years. Then continue to reach the end of warming is screaming to the point where the climatic conditions alone, the proliferation of the mosquito press ahead, predict the researchers. “With this new work, we can imagine a start, how environmental changes affect the Transmission of diseases such as Dengue and Zika werden“, Professor Simon adds I. Hay of the University of Washington. He hopes that such data will also be included in future political decisions.

Pioneering Monitoring

The researchers strongly recommend for the future a corresponding System for mosquito Surveillance and control in all affected European countries, to establish with the emerging Aedes albopictus populations. The further spread of the tiger mosquito could probably be prevented. Because the tiger mosquito can be targeted can be eliminated. (vb)