The tropical mosquito found in East London is able to transmit Zika virus and dengue, according to experts
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Invasive mosquitoes and their larvae – able to transmit diseases such as Zika virus, chikungunya and dengue – have been detected in residential properties in East London, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported.
It is the first time that the species, Aedes aegypti, has been identified as breeding in the UK, and the fourth time this species has been detected in the UK in recent years.
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The UKHSA is undertaking enhanced surveillance, including control measures to destroy larvae, and is monitoring the area to identify any further mosquitoes and larvae. It said that the mosquitoes in east London have caused no infections.
‘We believe these mosquitoes are accidental importations,’ said head of medical entomology and zoonoses ecology at UKHSA, Dr Jolyon Medlock. ‘Invasive mosquitoes can hitchhike in vehicles, baggage and imported plants, and if they find a suitable climate, can survive. Despite evidence of breeding in this local area and the recent heatwaves, the species is not established in the UK and cannot survive long-term in the typical UK climate, which is too cold overall.’
‘However, it is expected that in a warming climate, we will continue to see incursions of invasive mosquitoes, and increased reports of them being able to survive in the UK.’
Advocacy and social change manager at charity Buglife David Smit said: ‘Recent reports of non-native invertebrates, including mosquito species, highlight the urgent need for the government to strengthen biosecurity, improve surveillance and address pathways such as the movement of potted plants and soils, through which numerous invertebrates can hitchhike undetected.’
The UKHSA has also advised residents to remove standing water from gardens and outdoor spaces, including water that collects in buckets, containers, paddling pools and plant pots.
Members of the public can also support mosquito detection through the organisation’s Mosquito Watch scheme by submitting photographs or, where possible, specimens.
Around the world, mosquitoes cause up to one million human deaths per year. Every year, malaria alone – transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito – kills 600,000 people, mainly children. Mosquitoes can also spread diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and Zika virus.
There are more than 2,500 species of mosquito worldwide, and they are found in every region of the world except Antarctica.
