They detect a Zika mosquito in the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

After the detection of this specimen and the molecular confirmation that the sample found belongs to the species Aedes aegypti, the technicians have moved to the area without observing any more specimens or breeding points in the rest of the traps located in the nearby area. After these tasks, the number of traps placed in the areas close to the detection point was increased and the sampling frequency was increased, so that the traps will be checked on a weekly basis.

In addition, the General Directorate of Public Health has informed the Port Authorityto the City Council of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Foreign Health of this finding, the result of the actions undertaken by the Entomological Surveillance System of the Canary Islands, coordinated by Public Health in order to coordinate the actions provided for in the action protocol.

It should be remembered that, since last December 20 the Surveillance System was activated by the detection of Aedes aegypti mosquito specimens in a house in Santa Cruz de Tenerifeno bites or the presence of more specimens have been reported until the confirmation today of this specimen found in one of the traps installed in the Port.

The surveillance system procedure with this new detection consists of identifying the risk points close to the place of discovery, permitting the area to carry out inspection tasks and locating possible breeding sites, if any.

In the case of mosquito detection Aedes aegypti, in a house on December 20, a plant that was in the home was identified as a possible hatchery, for which the traceability of the product that had recently been purchased was carried out. Subsequently, fumigation work was carried out in thirteen houses near the home in which specimens of the mosquito were detected. Aedes aegyptino new specimens have been located and no bites suspected of having been produced by mosquitoes have been reported Aedes aegypti.

No pathologies in the Canary Islands

The Aedes aegypti It is a black mosquito with stripes, smaller than the usual ones in our territory, which appears more in urban environments and has adapted to breed in small man-made water spots. It is a vector for the transmission of viral diseases in other geographical areas where these pathologies are endemic, which does not happen in Canary Islands.

It’s important pointing that no bites reported and that the presence of the mosquito does not imply the transmission of diseases such as dengue, zika, yellow fever or chikungunya, since they are not present in our territory, except for sporadic imported cases.

citizen collaboration

Citizens can send photos of suspected presence of Aedes aegypti to the email account vectors.scs@gobiernodecanarias.org or images of strong inflammatory reactions due to stings if they occur, indicating the geographical place where it has been located and a telephone number.

Health highlights that the Surveillance System is effective in detecting even invasive mosquito larvae and eggs early, before they have caused bites in the island’s population. In this sense, all the necessary information is being collected to delimit, verify and, where appropriate, eradicate the presence of this mosquito on the island.

Species characteristics

The Aedes aegypti It usually bites during the day and not at night, and its bite generates a strong inflammatory reaction that is accompanied by great itching. They move close to the ground nimbly and no buzz is heard. The female mosquitoes are the ones that bite, since they need to feed on blood to reproduce. They also need water (breeding points) to complete their development. They lay their eggs in the water, from which the larvae will emerge, which will later transform into pupae (both aquatic) and which will finally become mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes that bite humans need to breed very close to humans. That is why the most effective measure against them is to monitor or eliminate their breeding points.

Since the beginning of this surveillance program, citizen collaboration has been considered very important to identify possible invasive mosquitoes and the elimination of their breeding sites.

The surveillance system team has activated the surveillance program for bites in the health centers of the island and in the pharmacies, by conducting surveys by health professionals in case people with compatible bites come, they can be easily detectable.

Detection expertise

The Canary Islands Entomological Surveillance system remains active after the detection of larvae on La Palma in March of this year, with no more larvae or mosquitoes appearing, and the eradication of the species in 2017, in Fuerteventura. Since 2013, the Canary Islands have had an Entomological Surveillance System, coordinated by the General Directorate of Public Health in collaboration with the University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the University of the Lagoonin order to detect early the possible appearance of invasive mosquitoes.

The objective of the Entomological Surveillance System of the Canary Islands is to detect early adult specimens, eggs or larvae of invasive mosquitoes. For this, the following actions are determined:

• Various devices implanted in the main entry points for mosquitoes in the Archipelago are monitored, such as ports and airports and certain greenhouses.

• A bite surveillance program is activated in all health centers on the island and in pharmacies, through surveys by health professionals.

• If there is a notification of bites, the Public Health inspectors analyze each case through a survey, a photograph of the bite, and an inspection of the home to search for and identify the mosquito, its larvae, or its eggs, if any.