Best practice approach to mosquito-borne pathogens examined

Italian researchers maintain different vector control strategies are needed as a means of addressing mosquito-borne pathogens.

Investigators noted new research based on the Italian experience with outbreaks of Chikungunya, a disease borne by the tiger mosquito, in 2007 and 2017, revealed varied strategies are needed, depending on the time when the first cases are notified. The findings helped provide researchers with indications supporting urgent decision-making of public health authorities in response to emerging mosquito-borne epidemics.

“In particular, if Chikungunya cases are notified in late spring or during summer, the combination of larvicides, adulticides, and breeding sites removal represents the optimal response strategy,” Alessia Melegaro, co-author of the study and a member of the Bocconi’s Dondena Center team, said. “On the other hand, larvicides are proven to be more cost effective in early summer and in the warmer seasons while adulticides should be preferred in the fall and colder seasons.”

Authors said the work involved combining the different expertise from Dondena Centre at Bocconi University of Milan, Fondazione Bruno Kessler of Trento, Fondazione Edmund Mach of S. Michele all’Adige, Istituto zooprofilattico sperimentale delle Venezie, and the University of Trento.

The study was conducted as a part of the LEXEM (Laboratory of Excellence for Epidemiology and Modelling) project, funded by the Autonomous Province of Trento and coordinated by Fondazione Edmund Mach.