RMCA literature published elsewhere

Deblauwe, I.,  Hermy, MRG.,  Schneider, A.,  Vanslembrouck, A.,  Geebelen, L.,  Smitz, N.,  De Meyer, M.,  Vanderheyden, A.,  Backeljau, T.,  Muller, R.,  Lernout, T.,  Rebolledo, J. & Van Bortel, W. 2022. ‘Multiple detections of Aedes albopictus in Belgium though Citizen Science’. Xth EMCA workshop. Book of abstracts. Mendrisio, Switzerland.

Conference abstract

Aedes albopictus is an important vector of several pathogens of human and animal health importance. Currently, it is spreading northward in Europe, and Belgium is at the front of its invasive range. After the recent start of a passive mosquito surveillance through a citizen science platform in Belgium (www.muggensurveillance.be), Ae. albopictus was detected for the first time in (sub)urban areas. Since the launch of the citizen science website at the end of May 2022, Aedes albopictus has been observed at seven locations based on pictures uploaded on the platform i.e., at Boorsem (BO) (province of Limburg), Kallo (AB), Lebbeke (LE) and Wondelgem (WO) (Province of East-Flanders), Antwerp (AN) and Wilrijk (WI) (province of Antwerp), and Grimbergen (GR) (Province of Flemish Brabant). Only site AB (a used tyre import company) is a well-known point of entry, where all life-stages of Ae. albopictus were found in 2018. Between June and August 2022 the sites AB, AN, BO and LE were actively surveyed, by larval sampling (two door-to-door visits per site) and oviposition traps in a 200 m buffer zone (placed for two weeks). Sites GR, WI and WO will be surveyed in the near future. At AN and BO the survey did not yield new individuals of Ae. albopictus, whereas at AB new female mosquitoes and some eggs were collected. Despite the preventive larviciding implemented at AB in May—July 2022 Ae. albopictus was detected in August 2022, but adults may have been introduced by newly arriving containers. An extra larvicide treatment was implemented in the same month. At LE all life stages were collected and biting nuisance was reported by the inhabitants and the surveillance team. Therefore an intensified monitoring campaign was set-up from August until October 2022. The responsible authority (Flemish Region) was informed and control actions will take place at this location in September 2022. It is clear from these findings that Ae. albopictus enters Belgium at many places in 2022, with even summer reproduction in some of them. Obviously, the passive surveillance by citizens provides an added value to the active surveillance by detecting Ae. albopictus at sites not included in the current active monitoring scheme, such as in (sub)urban areas. It will be important to follow-up these locations in 2023 to investigate possible overwintering, which would indicate the establishment of Ae. albopictus populations in Belgium. Also the exact import pathways of Ae. albopictus at these localities are not known and warrant further investigation.