They Warn That Mosquitoes Could Be Much More Dangerous Than They Think – AIM Digital

Scientists from Conicet and Unsam have studied the differential distribution in urban and rural areas of different members of the group of common mosquitoes and warned against their possible role as vectors of diseases that can become serious.

The study, conducted in La Plata and in six municipalities of Greater Buenos Aires, provides useful information for the implementation of public health policies. "19659004" Knowing precisely the spatio-temporal distribution of insects. It is essential to estimate the risks of transmission of pathogens and streamline the most effective prevention strategies, "said Dr. María Victoria Cardo, a researcher at Conicet at the agency Cyta-Leloir. 39; Institute of Research and Environmental Engineering (3iA) of Unsam.

It is difficult to differentiate them

The "Culex pipiens complex" includes several members of so-called common mosquitoes, but in Argentina and in most of the world the most common species are Culex pipiens (strictly speaking) and Culex quinquefasciatus.

But it is very difficult to differentiate one from the other by the shape or size; and, from an epidemiological point of view, they may have a different ability to transmit pathogenic microorganisms, such as the filariasis parasite and the arboviruses responsible for St. Louis encephalitis and West Nile fever. In the particular case of Culex quinquefasciatus, it has also been reported that it could be an additional Zika vector, although the evidence is controversial.

Of the 369 larvae collected, 76.4% corresponded to Culex quinquefasciatus, 21.2% to Culex pipiens and 2.2% to hybrids or crosses between them.

A health problem

Although the threat to the health of Culex mosquitoes has been overshadowed by others, such as those who transmit dengue fever, Cardo suggests that the state of alert should not be lowered, released Los Andes.

"St. Louis encephalitis and West Nile virus are among the emerging diseases transmitted by mosquitoes to humans of greater significance globally and have have already been detected in Argentina, "warned Cardo, adding that several viruses have been isolated several times in the country in specimens Culex pipiens and Culex. quinquefasciatuscolectados in the nature. "There have also been cases of arboviral encephalitis in birds, horses and, in the case of St. Louis encephalitis, in humans, which shows that the cycle of transmission is complete, "he said. [ad_2]
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