Progressive Invasion of Aedes albopictus in Northern Spain in The Period 2013–2018 and A Possible Association with The Increase in Insect Bites

Abstract

(1) Background: Aedes albopictus has rapidly expanded throughout Europe, becoming a public health concern in the Mediterranean Basin. (2) Methods: Following the detection of Ae. albopictus in the southwestern French region of Aquitaine in 2012, an entomological surveillance programme was implemented in the Basque Country (Northern Spain) in 2013. (3) Results: Ae. albopictus eggs were first detected in 2014 in a transited parking area in the northeastern sampling point, 22 km away from the nearest French site with recorded presence of tiger mosquito. At this site, eggs were found throughout the study (2014–2018). Other western and southern municipalities became positive in 2017 and 2018. Ae. albopictus adults were first captured in 2018 by aspiration of the vegetation in an area where eggs had been detected since 2015, suggesting a progressive establishment of a self-sustained population. Incidence of insect bites in humans was roughly constant over the study period except for a significant increase in 2018 in the Health County where eggs had been detected since 2014. Densities of Ae. albopictus eggs in positive areas remained at similar levels over the years. (4) Conclusion: Multiple approaches and standardized methods are necessary to successfully control this vector.

Avian Feeding Preferences of Culex pipiens and Culiseta spp. Along an Urban-to-Wild Gradient in Northern Spain

“…Faunistic studies focused on mosquito communities in northern Spain are scarce and mostly devoted to the detection of those species with relevant medical interest (Ruiz-Arrondo et al, 2019;Goiri et al, 2020). Here, we report for the first time the presence of six new species in the region, increasing from 14 to 20 the total number of species present in the Basque Country (Bueno-Marí et al, 2012;González et al, 2015González et al, , 2020Goiri et al, 2020), including new records of Anopheles maculipennis s.s., a major vector of several pathogens in Europe (Kampen et al, 2016). Interestingly, in nearby territories, only An.…”

“…However, climate change and anthropogenic factors are beginning to affect the distribution and incidence of mosquito vectors and their pathogens, an example being the recent arrival and establishment of the exotic species Ae. albopictus (Goiri et al, 2020) and Ae. japonicus in northern Spain (Eritja et al, 2019).…”

Surveillance of a Pest Through a Public Health Information System: The Case of the Blackfly (Simulium erythrocephalum) in Zaragoza (Spain) during 2009–2015

“…We have some examples of increase of Ae. albopictus bites requiring healthcare in the Spanish Mediterranean coast [11,12] and a slight increase in the Basque Country [13]. However, to our knowledge, despite the increasing public health problem attributable to the blackfly pest, there are only a few published reports about the incidence of blackfly bites requiring healthcare attention in some Spanish regions.…”

Sterile Insect Technique in an Integrated Vector Management Program against Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus in the Valencia Region (Spain): Operating Procedures and Quality Control Parameters

“…In recent years, the distribution of A. albopictus and Aedes aegypti has increased drastically in all continents, and consequently, these arboviral diseases have become a global health concern [ 2 ]. Aedes albopictus was first detected in Spain (Catalonia) in 2004 [ 3 ], and since then, it has spread in all Mediterranean regions of Spain and in Basque Country [ 4 ]. In 2018, the first autochthonous cases of dengue were detected in Spain, which provided evidence of A. albopictus being an effective vector of this virus in continental Europe [ 5 , 6 , 7 ].…”