Two species of disease-carrying mosquitoes found in UK
Scientists said that the type of mosquitoes carrying two diseases in the UK is defined and could spread more due to climate change.
The research teams of the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) discovered AEDES Aeggyptus, also known as the Egyptian Mosquito, and AEDES Albopictus, also known as the tiger (Asia) Kaplan or Forest Mosquito.
Since it is known that both species carry various diseases such as yellow fever, Dang, Chikungunia, Zika and Dirofilsiasis, their beings are “an important public health threat”.
The study by UKHSA and the Climate and Health Safety Center found Egyptian mosquito eggs in a freight storage storage near London Heathrow Airport in September 2023 and Tiger mosquitoes in a highway service station near the city in August 2024.
Ukhsa regularly monitors the presence of mosquito in the UK through surveillance in ports, land transport areas and city swamps. In addition, citizens are running the mosquito registration scheme (MRS), which allows citizens to inform the country’s landscapes and discomfort bite events.
Although scientists say that there is no evidence that species are traveling widely throughout the country, they warned that such events may become more regular because climates have become more suitable for insects in cities such as London.
The authors of the study said, “As urban areas become more climatic for species such as AE. Albopictus, the risk of Arboviral diseases such as Dang, Zika and Chikungunia increases.” Global Change Biology.
They added rising temperatures, and lighter winters encouraged the north of the species previously defined in the mainland Europe to Southern England.
As the temperatures continue to increase, researchers warned that both foreign species could establish a population in the south of England in the coming decades. Although Zika, Dang and Chikungunya are currently not endemic in the UK, they said that warmer climates can contribute to the spread of these diseases more easily.
The known results of rising global temperatures, flood and increasing rainfall can provide reproductive areas for mosquitoes and make their spread more likely.
“Our findings show that the attacks of future invasive mosquitoes in the UK are likely to attack and decrease the possibility of advanced surveillance are the keys to identify and reduce the possibility of organizations,” he wrote.
“Without a timely action, England is at risk of establishing invasive mosquito populations.”
The research published in August comes after the Dang Hummas, which was spread by Asian Tiger Mosquito, has shown that it has steadily moving to the north in Europe since it first appeared in Albania in 1979.
The study found that mosquitoes accelerated the spread of the spread in France and in 2006, about four miles from about four miles per year, 12 miles progressing.
