Infections spread of Asian bush mosquito

Asian bush mosquito in Germany more and more widespread

06/04/2015

The spread of the Asiatic bush mosquito in Germany is increasingly worrying the experts at the Senckenberg Research Center at the Goethe University in Frankfurt. „The mosquito species is a potential carrier of pathogens for infectious diseases such as dengue fever or the West Nile virus“, the researchers warn. Your recent in the journal „Parasitology Research“ have published a study „new danger hotspots in southern Hesse, Saarland and northern North Rhine-Westphalia“ identified. Thorough monitoring of immigrant insect species is urgently needed.

From the presented dissemination models of the scientists it appears that the Asian bush mosquito is spreading in Germany more and more. „Our modeling clearly shows that in addition to the already known areas of Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony, southern Hesse, Saarland and northern parts of North Rhine-Westphalia are climatically favorable areas for the Asian bush mosquito“, reports Professor Sven Klimpel, parasitologist at the Senckenberg Research Center. While other immigrant species are not a threat but sometimes an enrichment of biodiversity, the Asian bush mosquito is a potential carrier of dangerous infectious diseases or their pathogens, such as dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis or the West Nile virus.

Asian bush mosquito adapted to climatic conditions
According to the Senckenberg Research Center, over a thousand non-native species are registered in Germany, although most introduced species do not survive winter in our latitudes. „The Asian bush mosquito Ochlerotatus japonicus japonicus is different“, Prof. Klimpel continues. In contrast to the Asian tiger mosquito, the Asian bush mosquito is adapted to colder temperatures and copes very well with the climatic conditions in Central Europe. „These mosquitoes have spread in recent years massively in Germany and Europe“, reports the expert. After the mosquito species was first detected in southern Baden-Württemberg in 2008, according to the researchers, larger populations are now also found in Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia.

So far no danger to humans?
Although the Asiatic bush mosquitoes can theoretically transmit several, very serious diseases, nevertheless „So far, the transmission potential in Europe has only been proven in the laboratory, but not yet in the field“, so Klimpel. In the US, however, the West Nile virus has already been isolated from wild-caught mosquitoes. Norbert Becker, the scientific director of the Municipal Action Group for Combating Snoring, also warned the news agency „dpa“ from alarmism. A danger to humans does not go so far from the Asian bush mosquito in Germany.

Life-threatening illnesses possible
However, in their countries of origin, Japan, Korea and southern China, the Asian bush mosquito is well known as the carrier of dangerous diseases. For example, with dengue fever after a maximum incubation period of two weeks, flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, muscle and limb pain first appear. Some sufferers experience potentially fatal complications with severe internal bleeding and a circulatory collapse. Even with the West Nile fever, life-threatening illnesses with inflammation of the brain or the meninges are possible. (Fp)