Dengue and chikungunya, diseases primarily spread by Aedes mosquitoes, are becoming endemic in Europe. Researchers from Umea University and the University of Heidelberg highlight how warming temperatures contribute to this shift, necessitating immediate public health actions. The study shows a significant rise in dengue cases in 2024, with outbreaks likely to increase in frequency. To combat this, robust vector control and enhanced surveillance systems are urgently required.
May 16, 2025
Dengue, chikungunya to become endemic in Europe, need proactive actions to mitigate: Study
"Warmer summer
temperatures were found to substantially elevate outbreak risk." -
Researchers"
From sporadic
outbreaks of Aedes-borne dengue and chikungunya, the European Union is
transitioning towards an endemic state, according to a study, published in the
Lancet Planetary Health journal.
Key Points
1 Study by Umea and Heidelberg shows EU shift to endemic state
2 2024 saw highest dengue cases in Europe in last 15 years
3 Global warming propels Aedes mosquito spread northward
4 Urgent public health interventions needed to combat rising outbreaks
The principal
vectors of dengue virus and chikungunya virus are Aedes aegypti, the yellow
fever mosquito, and Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito.
In 2024, there were
a total of 304 dengue cases in the European region -- a historic peak compared
with the combined total of 275 cases in the previous 15 years.
The rising trend
suggests the spread of tiger mosquitoes -- that transmit these viruses -- to
farther north due to global warming, said the researchers in Sweden and
Germany.
The team cited that
from being mainly confined to tropical regions once, the virus' frequency and
severity of outbreaks have increased since 2010. This is due to "rising
temperatures".
"Climatic
variables emerged as the strongest predictors of outbreak risk, even after
accounting for health-care expenditure and imported case numbers," said
the team including from Umea University (Sweden) and University of Heidelberg
(Germany).
"Warmer summer
temperatures were found to substantially elevate outbreak risk, particularly in
urban and semi-urban settings, whereas human travel and mobility were found to
facilitate the spread of these two Aedes-borne diseases," they added.
The study is based
on an analysis of the spread of the two diseases in Europe over the last 35
years.
According to
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control data, most outbreaks (95 per
cent) took place between July and September of 2024, with 64 occurring in the
third quarter of the year.
Urbanisation, which
provides new habitats for Aedes vectors, also significantly affected outbreak
risk, with urban and semi-urban areas having a higher HR for outbreak events
than rural areas, said the team.
"Our findings
highlight that the EU is transitioning from sporadic outbreaks of Aedes-borne
diseases towards an endemic state. The interval between vector establishment
and local outbreaks has substantially shortened over the past three decades and
is expected to decrease further," the researchers said.
The study
underscored the urgent need for robust public health measures, including
stringent vector control, enhanced entomological and disease surveillance,
citizen science, and early warning systems.
"In the
context of a warming climate, mitigating the transition to endemicity will
require proactive, vigilant, and well-targeted public health
interventions," the team said.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment