Mosquitoes threaten public health by transmitting West Nile virus, malaria and dengue fever

Greek health authorities have sounded the alarm about the rising mosquito population, which could be felt even in winter.

Regions and municipalities are already preparing comprehensive plans to combat the “bloodsuckers”, which are carriers of pathogens and dangerous infections. There are 85 traps installed in Attica alone, and caught mosquitoes undergo epidemiological control at EODY. The county sprays every fifteen days to kill the larvae.

“All mosquitoes are tested for West Nile virus as an early warning system that immediately organizes more active spraying activities in the region to inform the public,” said Dr. Danaya Pervanidou from the Epidemiological Surveillance Directorate.

“The mild conditions experienced this winter were conducive to mosquito breeding. We are on high alert, especially regarding public health,” said Antonis Michaelides, entomologist researcher at the Benaquio Institute of Phytopathology.

“What we are afraid of is Egyptian mosquito that appeared in Cyprus. He came very close to us. This mosquito transmits everything: Zika virus, Tsikukuya virus, West Nile virus, malaria. If it enters the country, we will have a new mosquito as a carrier of these types of diseases,” said Anna Megalou, head of public health for the Attica region.

Beware of stagnant water
Even a plate with a little standing water in it can become a breeding ground for dangerous mosquitoes. “Mosquitoes love to lay eggs in stagnant water. Municipalities must be very careful about “trouble spots”. Sometimes the fountains do not work, but they are also a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” said the vice-governor of the North Attica region, Lukia Kefaloianni.

An innovative method of combating the tiger mosquito
One of the methods used by the Greek commission is to sterilize male tiger mosquitoes with small doses of radiation and then release them into the environment.

“Sterile males that do not bite humans when they are in the field with wild females end up with unfertilized eggs,” said Antonis Mihailakis, a research entomologist at the Benakeo Institute of Plant Pathology. Using this method, a significant reduction in the mosquito population is achieved.

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