Nearly 90 people, coming from around twenty different countries, attended the 6th conference on the tiger mosquito in Phnom Penh.
Thursday morning, the opening ceremony took place under the presidency of Professor Chheang Ra, Minister of Health of Cambodia, Jacques Pellet, Ambassador of France, as well as a speech by Professor André Spiegel, director of the Pasteur Institute in Cambodia.
Two days followed, punctuated by various conferences held by international experts. They notably discussed the distribution of the tiger mosquito in Asia, its biology and ecology in a broader context, its adaptation to urban environments, the impact of climate change on its distribution, its resistance to insecticides and innovative ways to fight against it, as well as the implementation of new surveillance techniques.
The story of the tiger mosquito
The tiger mosquito is native to Southeast Asia, where it is commonly found in forests and rural areas. With the rise of global trade, it was introduced to many parts of the world, including Europe, North and South America, Africa, and the Pacific Islands.
Its common name, “tiger mosquito” (Aedes Albopictus), comes from its black and white stripes which resemble those of a tiger. This characteristic distinguishes it from other species of mosquitoes.
Aedes Albopictus is an important vector of viral diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus. When it bites an infected person, it can transmit these viruses to other people when it bites them later.
One of the distinctive features of the tiger mosquito is its ability to breed in small amounts of standing water, even in urban environments. Used tires, clogged gutters and other containers that can retain water are all good places for it to lay eggs.
Due to its rapid spread and ability to transmit serious diseases, control of the tiger mosquito is a priority for many health authorities around the world.
Current situation
Recent years have shown that we are far from having finished with dengue epidemics. In Asia, the highest number of cases historically was recorded in Vietnam last year, despite increased surveillance in place since the 1990s.
At the global level, this year we unfortunately seem to be heading towards a record number of dengue cases, particularly following epidemics in Brazil and Argentina. It is therefore imperative to understand the factors that have led to the highest number of cases ever recorded.
Initially neglected and under-researched, the tiger mosquito is now the subject of extensive attention and research. Southeast Asia is considered the original range and point of diversity of this species.
For the Pasteur Institute, it was therefore logical to welcome the world’s leading specialists to Cambodia, a country which is also regularly confronted with these epidemics.
Written by Fanny Debrouwere
