The mosquitoes and ticks act like tropical disease vectors As the dengue, zika or chikungunya. With the high temperatures, these insects proliferate more and global warming contributes to their being present for more and more months of the year. That’s why mosquito awareness campaigns, Until a few years ago common only in South America, they are now also present in different Spanish provinces. An example: the Elche City Council last year asked for citizen collaboration to act in the private properties (where the Administration cannot enter) and that it is the neighbors themselves who monitor the swimming pools, reservoirs, puddles, drums, tires, flower pots and containers in general, since the larvae of tiger mosquito They breed at these points.
Mosquito awareness campaigns, until recently only common in South America, are proliferating in Spanish municipalities
In Catalonia, The Public Health Agency (Aspcat) also has a strategy for prevention and control of the tiger mosquito (‘aedes albopictus’) in the territory, present in practically throughout the Catalan coast. Within the strategy, which also includes health surveillance, there are a series of actions to “sensitization” to the population, something “key” in the prevention and control of the tiger mosquito, since, according to the Aspcat, “a significant part of the habitat of this insect can be decreased with small but important modifications in these spaces”.
So, in Catalan homes, The best solution to prevent and control this insect is the suppression or neutralization of containers that contain water, making a hole in them, inverting them or changing the water weekly. In addition, this action must be complemented with a active surveillance so that these spaces do not return to being a mosquito breeding site. The campaigns of awareness and civic education carried out by the health authorities are aimed at convincing citizens of the need to act in this way.
In Catalonia since 2004
The tiger mosquito was detected for the first time in Catalonia in 2004. Since then, following the same expansion model than in other countries It has spread practically throughout the entire territory. It is a invasive species from Asia. It is small in size, black in color and with White stripes. The females lay their eggs dry and on the inner wall of small containers that can contain water. The larvae are aquatic. The tiger mosquito has a short radius of action, so it is important to prevent it from finding places to breed.
Globally, the initiative World Mosquito Program (implemented in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras, Indonesia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, New Caledonia and Vanuatu) search protect local communities of mosquito-borne diseases. This program uses a safe and natural bacteria called ‘wolbachia’ to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne viral diseases such as dengue, zika, chikungunya and yellow fever.
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According to this program, since the first release of wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes in 2011, evidence of pilot studies has shown that it is possible to use ‘wolbachia’ on a larger scale for reduce the risk of virus transmission through the ‘aedes aegypti’ mosquito (yellow fever). Multiple trials at various locations demonstrate that this is a safe and effective method to help prevent the spread of disease across entire cities and regions.
How does it work? When mosquitoes carrying wolbachia are released, they reproduce with the wild mosquitoes. Over time, most mosquitoes will be carriers of the wolbachia bacterium. These mosquitoes will have a decreased ability to transmit viruses to people, reducing the risk of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya outbreaks.