Tiger mosquitoes: why they could become a “major health risk” for all of France

Recognizable by its black and white stripes and small size, the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) has been gaining ground in the territory for several years now, and would now represent a “major health risk” in France.

A mosquito capable of transmitting dengue, zika and chikungunya, which proliferates throughout the territory

Seemingly harmless, this insect, commonly called the tiger mosquito, is capable of transmitting certain viral diseases to humans, such as dengue fever, chikungunya or even zika.

“When one of these mosquitoes bites a person returning from an infested area where they have contracted one of these viruses, it becomes a carrier and can potentially transmit it to another individual,” Stéphane Robert, president of Vigilance Moustiques, explained to us.

The health authorities are concerned about its proliferation, especially in metropolitan France, where some regions were still spared: “This is an invasive species, which did not exist in France before 2004. In 2019, 58 departments out of the 96 metropolitan departments were colonized”, deplores the LREM deputy of Mayotte Ramlati Ali, following a commission of inquiry in the Assembly.

If in overseas territories this phenomenon is not new, that tiger mosquitoes are responsible for several epidemics, it seems that in metropolitan France, we were heading towards the same problems of virus transmission by this insect, which has the particularity to sting at any time of the day. Unlike classic mosquitoes, which are more prevalent at nightfall …

Tiger mosquito: an action plan to prevent the risks of proliferation and contamination

To counter the misdeeds of this proliferation, the commission, chaired by the former PS overseas minister Ericka Bareigts, proposed an action plan, through measures such as:

• “diversify molecules and focus on actions in the field”, to “to avoid massive spraying” to reduce “the risk of developing resistance to the product in mosquitoes”
• the establishment “in the territories affected by a regional prevention plan against the development of breeding sites”
• the provision to the mayors of a guide to fight against this specific mosquito

The committee hopes that the implementation of common measures will make it possible to avoid the health situation that we already know in Overseas.

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