The professor of Parasitology and professor emeritus of the University of La Laguna (ULL), Basilio Valladares, who was also in charge of the direction of the Institute of Tropical Diseases of the academic institution, yesterday made an important appeal to citizens to request their collaboration so that Public Health can eradicate the new mosquito outbreaks tiger (Aedes albopictus) recently detected in the Santa Cruz neighborhood of Vuelta de los Pájaros.
Valladares, given the severity of the rebound in cases of tiger mosquito located, he was forced yesterday morning to send an audio message, through WhatsApp, to the residents of the aforementioned neighborhood of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where at the end of last September several specimens of this dangerous insect were found. which forced Public Health to carry out a wide deployment of troops in this residential area, located in the upper part of the capital. Now, when new nests have been found, the professor has requested neighborhood “collaboration” to allow the inspectors of the General Directorate of Public Health and the staff of the University Institute of Tropical Diseases access to the homes so that they can fumigate the nests found. .
Valladares, in statements to DIARIO DE AVISOS, commented that “there is a major problem with the entry of the tiger mosquito into the Vuelta de los Pájaros and many neighbors do not want to collaborate. If they put obstacles in place so that inspectors can access their homes and gardens, there will be no way to eradicate the breeding sites and we will face a very serious case that will threaten the health and well-being of the canaries.”
The professor explained that the report of new cases of tiger mosquitoes began on Luque Alcalá Street in Vuelta de los Pájaros, but we have also found new breeding sites on José Espejo and Luis Estremera streets, as well as adult specimens on Juan Street. Martin. We have to take into account the biology of these insects, because the larva can remain inside, without releasing it outside, for more than a year. If we do not act soon, we run the risk of this tiger mosquito settling in the Canary Islands,” he stressed.
In this sense, Basilio Valladares added that “the intention of sending this personal audio to the neighbors has only been to ask them to be more permissive with the Public Health inspectors and the staff of the Medical Entomology Laboratory of the Institute of Tropical Diseases of the University of La Laguna, because the effort they are making to eliminate the outbreaks may be invalidated without their collaboration, since they have encountered cases of people who do not allow access to their homes to set traps or fumigate in the gardens, giving them the door in the face.”
The scientist stated that “I am very grateful for the collaboration and the result that the message sent is having so far, since many neighbors have realized the importance of this matter and the fact that if they do not allow it to enter their homes to “By setting traps or fumigating their gardens, it will be impossible to eliminate the specimens and breeding sites found.”
Likewise, Valladares announced that next Monday a meeting of the capital’s City Council is scheduled with the affected residents to explain to them first-hand the seriousness of this matter, in which they will once again reiterate their collaboration for the total extinction of these breeding sites, nests that “They can hold between 100 and 200 eggs each and highlights the importance of acting quickly.”
The professor of Parasitology and professor emeritus at the ULL recalled that “from Public Health we already have experience in the eradication of the tiger mosquito, specimens that entered the island of Fuerteventura for the first time in 2017, specifically in the neighborhood of Las Granadas and was expelled. Subsequently, a cruise ship from Madeira, where the mosquito breeds, introduced it to La Palma and with citizen collaboration it was also managed to control it. And in Tenerife, specimens of this species have also been previously destroyed, thanks to the help of the population, in cases found on La Rosa de Santa Cruz street (in that case with the Aedes aegypti) and which was associated with a plant purchased in a nursery, or in a greenhouse in Valle de Guerra, in La Laguna,” Valladares stressed.
Diseases
In this new attempt by the tiger mosquito to settle in Tenerife, the expert commented that “if it settles on the Island and, therefore, in the Canary Islands, in the end it will happen like in Madeira, Cape Verde or the Peninsula, where it entered through Barcelona and has already arrived to Cádiz. For this reason, it is very important that the residents of Vuelta de los Pájaros accept this meeting with the City Council, because if they do not collaborate we will have health problems like those that occurred in Madeira, where 25,000 people became ill with dengue, plus others died, or of Zika, which caused many children to be born with microcephaly.”
To stop the incursion of the vector of transmission of diseases such as Zika or dengue, which are not yet present in the Islands, it is vital that Public Health professionals and the University Institute of Tropical Diseases be allowed to work so that they can install traps that end with the specimens and their larvae.
Both the Aedes albopictus and Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes have ideal reproduction conditions in the Canary Islands, although the former is more urban. For this reason, the health authorities appeal to the collaboration of the entire population despite the inconvenience that may be caused by having to leave their homes so that they can be fumigated.
The protocol of the Entomological Surveillance System for the detection of specimens of the Aedes albopictus mosquito in a home in Vuelta de los Pájaros, in the capital of Tenerife, was activated on September 25 after receiving a notice due to a strong inflammatory reaction caused by the bite of a mosquito, in which an image of the specimen captured in the house was also attached.
It was the second case of detection of mosquitoes of this species in the Canary Islands, after the Tacoronte episode at the beginning of that month.
The Health Department of the regional government emphasizes that citizen collaboration is especially important at this time to avoid the proliferation of breeding points and to identify possible specimens.
Photos of suspected presence of Aedes or images of strong inflammatory reactions due to bites, if they occur, can be sent to the email account vectors.scs@gobiernodecanarias.org, indicating the exact geographical location in which it has been located and a number of telephone contact.
ID
Aedes mosquitoes are smaller than common mosquitoes, darker in color, with silver bands on the body and white-striped legs. They usually bite early in the morning or at dusk and do not emit the typical buzzing sound of the common mosquito.
The females are the ones that sting 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 emerge and then transform into pupae (both aquatic) and finally become mosquitoes. Any point of water accumulation or puddles can serve as a breeding ground, so it is vital to eliminate them, as well as in pots, vases, drums, pet waterers, bird baths, tires, etc.
As a preventive measure, objects and containers should be emptied and cleaned, keeping them dry.
