The Asian tiger mosquito can transmit dangerous diseases. Italian researchers analyzed whether Covid-19 is one of them.
The Asian tiger mosquito – its scientific name is Aedes albopictus – frightens many people. Because it is considered a carrier of dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika virus. In fact, it can transmit pathogens, but only if the insect itself has had contact with the pathogen.
The insect originally came from Asia, but has now spread worldwide – mainly through global trade in goods. Climate change is helping her here, because low temperatures over a longer period of time cause tiger mosquito populations to die. Since cold winters are increasingly absent in Germany, the tiger mosquito also feels at home in this country. The Federal Environment Agency gives an assessment of the dangers that can be associated with a tiger mosquito bite.
Tiger mosquitoes as a “potential risk to human health in Germany”
“In Germany, the risk of virus transmission by Ae. albopictus is currently considered low because the number of virus carriers is low and the presence of mosquitoes is limited. However, the increasing evidence of the Asian tiger mosquito in Germany indicates that the mosquito can also establish itself and spread in this country,” says the Federal Environment Agency. The office does not give a positive prognosis: “Due to the fact that the number of imported dengue and chikungunya cases has also increased massively, the occurrence of Ae. albopictus as a potential risk to human health in Germany”.
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In France, Croatia, Italy and Spain, there have been repeated infections with diseases that can be traced back to the tiger mosquito. These included dengue and chikungunya fever.
Can mosquitoes transmit the coronavirus?
Italian researchers came to the conclusion that the Asian tiger mosquito is not a corona virus carrier. In their study, which was published in the journal Parasites & Vectors, the research team led by Claudia Fortuna from the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome writes: “This is the first study to show that the vector mosquito species most commonly found in Europe SARS-CoV-2 not transmitted and that Ae. albopictus is unable to transmit the virus mechanically by ingestion from a positive host to a healthy host”.
The Health and Environment Department of the City of Zurich also refers to the study and announces: “To date, there is no evidence of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through mosquitoes”.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.