Mosquitoes as a Vector of Disease in Ireland

George Sharpson

P.E.H.O.

Fingal County Council.

La Reunion Outbreak in 2006.

• Chicungunia Epidemic in 2006.

• A quarter of the Population affected.

• Many Severe Cases. • 155 Deaths. • Primarily in elderly

people.

Chikungunya, a virus spread by mosquitoes

Symptoms : • ‘Chikungunya’ from a

Kimakonde language, meaning ‘to be contorted', due to joint pain(arthalgia)

• High Fever• Rash• Death • Majority, mild and self

limiting.

The Vector

• Aedes albopictus• Asian tiger Mosquito. • Previously the host was

Ades aegypti. • This species jump took

scientists by surprise.

EuroSurveillance.org

• EuroSurveillanceReleased report of Chikungunya Virus in Ravenna Italy in 2007.

• Traveler from India carried Virus in June 2007(index case)

• By August 334 cases • Previously never been a

problem in Europe• Asian tiger is native to Italy• Bit the traveller to Italy• Spread the disease to other

hosts.

Spread

• Throughout Italy by end 2007.

• Into parts France by 2008

• Global Warming may become a factor.

• Mild winters.

The Situation in Ireland

• HPSC (Health Protection Surveillance Centre) concerned over Ireland ‘s exposure

• Ireland & Britain could be next. • Ireland has approx 16 -30

types of Mosquito. • Types unknown. • National monitoring project. • Consulted Dr. Tom Kelly

Senior Lecturer, Department of Zoology, Ecology & Plant Science, University College Cork.

Training at UCC

• EHOS 2 day course in Cork.

• Mosquitoes Caught.• Frozen or gassed.• Identification using

microscopes.• Manuals provided.• Classifications of Irish &

British (6 Genae- Anopholies,Culex, Orthopodomyia,Adies, Culisetta,Coqullettidia).

Eisen Trap

• How to trap a mossie?

• Killgerm –Eisen Trap • Attracted to Sweet

Scent Lure• Fan draws mossie

into net. • Mossie taken back to

lab for freezing and identification

Choice of location

• Project started in 2009.

• Malahide Castle • Fingal Co Co

controlled property. • Electricity available• Dry Environment.• Known Mossie

hangout.

Problems

• Sweet Scent lure not effective

• Very difficult to identify after freezing

• Misidentifications. • Very few catches• tried different traps

using CO2, light etc. without success.

Findings.

• The majority of mosquitoes seen were found to be ornitologic

• i.e. depending on birds as hosts rather than humans, with accidental human biting.

UCC identified the following

• Culex pipiens, the vector for WNV in the United States is also common here. Although it generally only bites birds it was felt that further clarification should be sought on whether it will also bite humans.

• C. annulata,• Aedes detritus (which will bite

humans) were most common.• and A. clavigar. • NO Aedes albopictus were

found to date.

Change of Tack!

• UCC recommends a change in strategy.

• Larval Stages to be caught and identified.

• This has been tried and tested in UCC and works.

• Next Step is to rewrite the software!

Thank You.Any Questions?