In addition to rotting our barbecues (even if the weather in May also spoiled them quite a bit) with its attacks, the tiger mosquito is also a vector of disease. Vigilance is therefore essential in the face of this species, classified among the most invasive in the world.
Unpleasant but harmless in the vast majority of cases, the bite of the tiger mosquito can nevertheless pose a problem. We explain how to recognize it and above all what to watch out for.
1. A recognizable sting
Unlike classic mosquito bites, “tiger” bites are more painful and itch more. For what ? “When the mosquito bites, its pump searches for a blood vessel. The female (who is the only one to sting) injects saliva which contains an anesthetic and an anticoagulant (which will thin the blood in her trunk). This is what causes the inflammation and the itch,” explains Christine Jacomet, head of the infectious and tropical diseases department at Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital.
2. Beware of illnesses
Once bitten, start by disinfecting the spot. Locally, an anesthetic cream purchased at a pharmacy can reduce the urge to scratch. The tiger mosquito can carry dengue, chikungunya and the Zika virus. As the specialist explains, “the mosquito must have bitten a sick person, two to three days before you, for you to be contaminated. » And with the explosion of travel and stays abroad, the risk is real. “Many cases of dengue fever were recorded in the French West Indies last year. And some tourists came to stay in Auvergne,” specifies the infectious disease specialist, not really reassured by the effect of global warming on this specific point.
“We should not allow dengue fever to take hold here… It is a bit illusory to say that we have natural barriers with borders. »
Tiger mosquito: “If you make an effort but your neighbor leaves water lying around… it’s ruined!”
3. Don’t worry…
Unless… if you have a fever above 38.5°C. Muscle and joint pain, a headache even though you have no digestive problems or respiratory signs. In general, fever appears between three and seven days following the bite. Last year, two cases of dengue fever were detected in Drôme, chikungunya patients were reported in Corsica and Italy and the Zika virus was rampant in South America. For these three viruses, only symptomatic pain treatments exist. Pregnant women and immunocompromised people are the most vulnerable to these diseases.
Carole Eon
