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COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – European Union officials warned on Thursday of an increased risk of mosquito-borne viral diseases such as dengue and chikungunya in Europe due to climate change.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said that because Europe is experiencing a warming trend, with heat waves and floods becoming more frequent and intense, and summers becoming longer and warmer, conditions are more favorable for invasive mosquito species such as Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti.
The Stockholm-based agency said in a report that Aedes albopictus is a known vector of chikungunya and dengue viruses and has established itself in northern and western Europe. The other mosquito, Aedes aegypti, known to transmit dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, Zika and West Nile viruses, has been established in Cyprus since 2022 and may spread to other European countries.
A decade ago, the Aedes albopictus mosquito was established in eight European countries, with 114 areas affected. The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that this year mosquitoes have established themselves in 13 countries and 337 territories.
“If this continues, we can expect to see more cases and possibly deaths from diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and West Nile fever,” said Andrea Ammon, director of the CDC. “Efforts should focus on ways to control mosquito populations, strengthen surveillance and enforce personal protection measures.”
Previously, diseases were imported from abroad, but “now we have locally acquired cases,” Ammon said in an online press conference.
The agency said methods to control mosquito populations include eliminating stagnant water where mosquitoes breed, using environmentally friendly larvicides and promoting community awareness about mosquito control.
To protect themselves, people can use mosquito nets, sleep or rest in reserved or air-conditioned rooms, wear clothing that covers most of the body and use mosquito repellents.
She said awareness of mosquito-borne diseases is essential.
There is no specific treatment for dengue. While about 80% of infections are mild, severe cases can lead to internal bleeding, organ damage, and death.
Chikungunya fever, a debilitating disease suspected to affect tens of thousands, was first identified in Africa in 1953. It causes severe joint pain but is rarely fatal. There is no vaccine and it is mainly treated with painkillers.
Ammon said 1,339 locally acquired cases of West Nile, including 104 deaths, were reported in Europe in 2022, the highest number since an epidemic broke out in 2018.
Symptoms of West Nile fever can include headache, fever, muscle and joint pain, nausea, and fatigue. People with West Nile fever usually recover on their own, although symptoms can last from weeks to months.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said that because Europe is experiencing a warming trend, with heat waves and floods becoming more frequent and intense, and summers becoming longer and warmer, conditions are more favorable for invasive mosquito species such as Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti.
The Stockholm-based agency said in a report that Aedes albopictus is a known vector of chikungunya and dengue viruses and has established itself in northern and western Europe. The other mosquito, Aedes aegypti, known to transmit dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, Zika and West Nile viruses, has been established in Cyprus since 2022 and may spread to other European countries.
A decade ago, the Aedes albopictus mosquito was established in eight European countries, with 114 areas affected. The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that this year mosquitoes have established themselves in 13 countries and 337 territories.
“If this continues, we can expect to see more cases and possibly deaths from diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and West Nile fever,” said Andrea Ammon, director of the CDC. “Efforts should focus on ways to control mosquito populations, strengthen surveillance and enforce personal protection measures.”
Previously, diseases were imported from abroad, but “now we have locally acquired cases,” Ammon said in an online press conference.
The agency said methods to control mosquito populations include eliminating stagnant water where mosquitoes breed, using environmentally friendly larvicides and promoting community awareness about mosquito control.
To protect themselves, people can use mosquito nets, sleep or rest in reserved or air-conditioned rooms, wear clothing that covers most of the body and use mosquito repellents.
She said awareness of mosquito-borne diseases is essential.
There is no specific treatment for dengue. While about 80% of infections are mild, severe cases can lead to internal bleeding, organ damage, and death.
Chikungunya fever, a debilitating disease suspected to affect tens of thousands, was first identified in Africa in 1953. It causes severe joint pain but is rarely fatal. There is no vaccine and it is mainly treated with painkillers.
Ammon said 1,339 locally acquired cases of West Nile, including 104 deaths, were reported in Europe in 2022, the highest number since an epidemic broke out in 2018.
Symptoms of West Nile fever can include headache, fever, muscle and joint pain, nausea, and fatigue. People with West Nile fever usually recover on their own, although symptoms can last from weeks to months.
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