The receding flood has left behind tens of thousands of pools and lakes. These are now breeding grounds for mosquitoes…
The flooding is only slowly decreasing – and especially in the floodplains, but also in parks and some gardens, the water is likely to remain until late autumn. Because it is still so mild after the natural disaster and perhaps even warmer, female Gelsens find sufficient habitats to lay their brood. Even watering cans or other containers will soon be full of quivering larvae, which will then develop into real nasty bloodsuckers.
While their bites range from annoying to painful, another insect threat is also approaching: that of exotic mosquitoes that can transmit malaria, a life-threatening disease. This is often interpreted by infected people as flu or gastrointestinal infection. According to the WHO, 240,000 million people contract malaria every year and 600,000 die from it.
Malaria in Austria?
The disease is caused by a parasite called plasmodia, which is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. Scientists warn that the spread of the infectious disease could also affect Austria. Higher temperatures promote this development, while in some parts of Africa the water becomes too hot or the wetlands dry out.
Professor Till Bärninghausen, director of the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, even suspects that diseases such as malaria could also become endemic in Europe as a result of global warming. They would then spread relatively quickly in certain areas with suitable conditions.
New malaria mosquito spotted in southern Italy
The news was even more dramatic in April, when a new malaria-carrying gel was discovered in southern Italy after fifty years. “However, the malaria Anopheles species mentioned at the time was not a sensation at all, because it has been known in Italy for a long time and is also on the inventory list of native insects,” reports ecologist Bernhard Seidel. In 2013, he discovered a species of these fever mosquitoes that was new to Austria. Malaria pathogens were detected in individual specimens.
The material used was collected in July and August. Warm nights provide the best conditions for mosquitoes, they don’t even have to be tropical nights. However, the problem does not only depend on mild weather.
In short, it is wrong to describe the Anopheles gels as dangerous in themselves. Their role as a malaria vector requires a correspondingly large group of carriers. Globalization and heavy travel increase the risk of malaria. The mosquitoes like to stay near human settlements, especially around animal stables.
“The Austrian healthcare system is not able to respond in advance to the dynamics of malaria gels,” continued scientist Seidel. “The consequences of an epidemic, even just a few cases, would be frightening. “Not only for the people who are ill, if their illness is recognized at all, but also in terms of the financial burden, because the blood donation system would entail millions in costs,” the expert analyzes.
Travelers have even brought tiger mosquitoes with them
But it’s not just malaria that is on the rise – known cases were brought to the EU by travelers – the Asian tiger mosquito, which transmits Zika and dengue fever, has long caused fear, terror and deaths. He was spotted in Central Europe.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
