2023-12-29 23:03:00
Aedes albifasciatus are adaptive to different climatic conditions and their abundance does not depend exclusively on the season, but on the combination of droughts and subsequent rains (Illustrative image Infobae)
Given the increase in temperatures and rainfall that favor the proliferation of mosquitoes, as well as the circulation of the dengue virus in several regions of the country and in neighboring nations, the Ministry of Health of the Nation warned about the need to intensify the measures of prevention and protection against diseases transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
This includes eliminating mosquito breeding sites, preventing mosquito bites, and seeking early medical attention in case of symptoms of the disease, especially during high foot traffic during the holiday season.
Currently, there is active circulation of the dengue virus in several jurisdictions of the country and in neighboring countries. The current climatic conditions, with high temperatures and heavy rains, are ideal for the multiplication of mosquitoes. Additionally, the movement of people during holiday celebrations increases the risk of spreading the virus to new areas, starting new cycles of transmission in places where the virus was not previously present.
This morning, in the Capital and in the province of Buenos Aires, neighbors noticed an invasion of mosquitoes. The greater presence of these insects does not go unnoticed in a year in which the worst dengue epidemic was recorded, the infection that is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito species.
“There are more mosquitoes, probably than there were 15 or 20 days ago. The storms of recent days favored a greater hatching of mosquito eggs,” according to what Dr. Tomás Orduna, former head of the Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine Service at the FJ Muñiz Infectious Hospital and member of the scientific committee of the Foundation, explained to Infobae. Healthy world.
CONICET researchers explained that “flood mosquitoes” such as Aedes albifasciatus emerge in large numbers due to specific climatic conditions, such as droughts followed by heavy rains (iStock)
“The Ministry of Health of the Nation is collaborating closely with the provincial health authorities to strengthen prevention measures and monitor the epidemiological situation in all affected regions,” the ministry indicated.
Reducing the populations of mosquito vectors is the most effective way to cut the transmission cycle of the diseases they can transmit.
In the case of the main mosquito that transmits dengue and other arboviruses, such as Zika and chikungunya (Aedes aegypti), the most important prevention measure is the elimination of all mosquito breeding sites, that is, all containers that contain water or that can do so, both inside the homes and around them. To do this, it is important:
Eliminate all unused containers that can accumulate water (cans, bottles, tires, etc.) inside and outside the home and/or workplace.
Turn over, cover or protect useful objects that are outside and can accumulate rain or irrigation water (buckets, basins, drums, toys, etc.).
Regularly brush, clean and change water in animal drinkers every 2 or 3 days, cover and drain air conditioning or rain drain collectors. Brushing or rubbing the inside walls of the container is essential to dislodge mosquito eggs that are stuck there.
The presence of Aedes albifasciatus in the Pampas region, capable of biting a variety of animals, highlights the adaptability and potential danger of these mosquitoes Credit: Freepik
Avoid plants in containers with water or change it frequently (every 2-3 days, with the same procedure as in the previous point).
Replace the water in pots or plant containers with sand, avoiding a puddle from forming on top.
Fill the pot holders with sand in order to absorb excess irrigation water.
Keep patios and gardens weeded.
Unclog gutters and rain drains.
Pour hot water (100°C) into the drain grates and place metal mesh or mosquito netting on them.
Keep tanks and containers (citters, cisterns, etc.) used to collect and store water covered, avoiding leaving spaces or openings where mosquitoes can enter.
Keep swimming pools clean and chlorinated. Cover them when not in use.
Dengue epidemic cycles, which occur every 3 to 5 years, and the underreporting of cases, underline the importance of constant awareness and prevention
To avoid mosquito bites, it is recommended to take the following protective measures:
Use repellents according to age and according to the recommendations on the packaging.
Wear light clothing that covers arms and legs, especially during outdoor activities.
Use home mosquito repellents such as tablets, sprays (indoor) and/or spirals (exterior) according to the product recommendations.
Place mosquito nets on doors and windows of homes.
Protect beds, cribs and baby strollers with mosquito netting or tulle.
Pregnant people must take extreme care.
The application of insecticide through fumigation is an emergency control measure, in response to the detection of cases in areas with confirmed presence of the vector. It is applied to cut the transmission cycle and serves to eliminate adult mosquitoes when they come into contact with the insecticide at the time it is applied.
It has no residual power and does not eliminate the immature forms of the mosquito (eggs, larvae and pupae), so it is not enough to control these diseases if the breeding sites for new mosquitoes are not eliminated. For the rest, it is indicated only when cases are detected, in an outbreak situation, and under the methodological indications of current national regulations.
Measures such as keeping yards clean, weeding gardens and ensuring drains are key to combating the proliferation of mosquitoes and preventing diseases. Repellents are a good ally Photo: Christin Klose/dpa
Dengue and other arboviruses, such as Zika and chikungunya, generally tend to have an incubation period between 2 to 7 days, depending on the case, and involve the presence of high fever (greater than 38°C) accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms:
Pain behind the eyes, head, muscles and/or joints,
Nausea and vomiting,
intense fatigue,
Appearance of spots on the skin and itching
Mucous membrane bleeding (mainly nose and gums),
Sensory disorders (cycles of drowsiness and irritability).
In the presence of symptoms, it is essential not to self-medicate and to consult the nearest health center quickly. After receiving the diagnosis, it is important to follow the instructions of health personnel, drink plenty of fluids, rest, use repellent, and attend follow-up and control appointments.
If at the time the fever subsides, or in the following days, any of the symptoms worsen, reappear or new symptoms are detected (difficulty breathing, intense abdominal pain, profuse bleeding of the mucous membranes, recurrent vomiting) it is very important to make a consultation. immediate medical Timely and adequate treatment reduces the likelihood of experiencing severe forms of the disease.
The elimination of mosquito breeding sites, such as cans, bottles and tires, is vital to prevent the spread of Aedes aegypti, the main transmitter of dengue (Illustrative image Infobae)
The Infectious Diseases Division of the UBA Hospital de Clínicas also promoted reinforcing prevention measures throughout the year. They stated that the vaccine is a complement to these measures and does not replace them.
According to data from the Pan American Health Organization, in 2023 a total of 4,280,855 suspected cases of dengue were reported in the Americas, exceeding the figures for 2022 and the last 5 years. This historical maximum was also recorded in Argentina, with 135,676 cases, of which 126,430 are indigenous, and 68 people died, according to the Ministry of Health.
The virus is characterized by producing cyclical outbreaks or epidemics every 3 to 5 years and, due to this behavior, epidemic behavior would not be expected in the current period. However, infectious disease doctors from the Clinics warn that there is under-reporting of cases and asymptomatic cases are frequent, which is why it is necessary to reinforce awareness about the main measures to stop its transmission and spread.
According to these experts, climate change has allowed the mosquito to adapt to new areas, as occurred, for example, in some European countries and in the City of Buenos Aires, where until a few years ago no indigenous infections of transmitted diseases were recorded. by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito.
The current climate situation, characterized by high temperatures and abundant rains, creates an ideal environment for the multiplication of mosquitoes and the transmission of dengue (Getty Images)
Dr. Mónica Foccoli, Head of the Infectious Diseases Division of the Hospital de Clínicas (MN 70,669), added that the spread in Argentina “can be related to multiple factors: deficiencies in environmental sanitation (management of solid waste and residual water); lack of awareness in the population; insufficient prevention campaigns and at the wrong time of year, since “de-cluttering” should be encouraged in the winter so that the female mosquito does not find niches (elements with stagnant water) where to lay eggs in the hot season; circulation of more than one dengue serotype (although DEN1 always predominated in our country, in 2023 DEN2 appeared and predominated for the first time and DEN1 and DEN3 circulated with a lower incidence) and challenges in clinical diagnosis due to non-specific symptoms.
The increase in mosquitoes and their bites are causing discomfort in a large number of people in the city of Buenos Aires, AMBA and regions in the central zone of the country.
Two specialists from CONICET, Sylvia Fischer and María Victoria Micieli, explained the reasons for this phenomenon that is occurring these days and highlight the main prevention measures and control strategies to deal with these insects.
“The species we are having now, which generate this peak of abundance and annoyance in people, are species of ‘flood mosquitoes’. We call them that because their larvae develop precisely in temporary puddles or bodies of water that are flooded by the rains,” said Fischer, a CONICET researcher at the Institute of Ecology, Genetics and Evolution of Buenos Aires (IEGEBA, CONICET-UBA ) and in the Department of Ecology, Genetics and Evolution of the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences of the UBA.
And he added that the species of this type of mosquito, which is now circulating in greater abundance, as a result of the rains, is Aedes albifasciatus, a mosquito that has a very wide distribution in Argentina, from Tierra del Fuego to the north of the country.
Vaccination against dengue is essential to protect against the spread of the disease. With the arrival of the end of the year and the increase in the mobility of people, the risk of spreading the dengue virus intensifies, requiring caution in the affected regions (Illustrative image Infobae)
The doctor in biology and ecology specialist pointed out that the females of these mosquitoes have the behavior of laying their eggs in the humid substrate that is subsequently flooded: “So, in these places, due to the previous drought we had, a large number had accumulated. of eggs and when it started to rain continuously due to the El Niño meteorological phenomenon in the last month, month and a half, these eggs all hatched synchronously, the larvae develop simultaneously and huge numbers of adults emerge, all at the same time. And this generates precisely this peak of abundance that we are perceiving so strongly.”
Fischer explained that Aedes albifasciatus is a mosquito adapted to different climatic conditions, “so it is not that there are many now because it is summer, but that there are many because the conditions of accumulated precipitation after a period of drought favored this synchronous development to occur.” ”.
Victoria Micieli, CONICET researcher at the Center for Parasitological and Vector Studies (CEPAVE, CONICET-UNLP), highlighted that when puddles or bodies of water form, the eggs that were buried in the ground “are going to hatch, first they go through a larval state and when they reach an adult state, they will go in search of blood to feed.”
This striking macrophotograph reveals the Aedes aegypti mosquito, vector of diseases such as dengue and yellow fever. A reminder of the importance of care, prevention and public health. (Illustrative image Infobae)
Mosquitoes of the Aedes albifasciatus species, typical of the humid Pampas region, are distinguished by their ability to bite a variety of animals, including livestock. This characteristic is due to their wild natural environment, which has adapted them to penetrate thicker skin, such as that of animals.
“That’s why we perceive that their bite is stronger and they seem even more aggressive to us. This and its abundance generate enormous discomfort and that is why we notice them much more,” Fischer said.
Along these lines, Micieli, who has a doctorate in Natural Sciences and a specialist in entomology and environmental health, indicated that the species Aedes albifasciatus “behaves like a plague mosquito, precisely because of the behavior it has, so invasive, so aggressive towards people.” .
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