The new one is operational Regional arbovirus surveillance and control plan 2024, focused on activities to combat mosquitoes, starting with tiger mosquitoes, to reduce their population density in the area. The Emilia-Romagna Region finances the program with 1 million and 120 thousand euros, an increased amount compared to previous years, a sign of the great attention paid to monitoring and specific interventions.
The Plan also sees the Local Health Authority at the forefront, as every year Modena, especially for all awareness raising activities towards citizens and concrete counter actions. In particular, in this period of the year, with the abundant rains of recent days and the gradual increase in temperatures, the ideal climate is being created for the proliferation of the tiger mosquito, a potential vector of infectious diseases such as Chikungunya fever (a “bone-crushing”), Dengue fever (with possible hemorrhagic manifestations), Zika Virus infections (dangerous if they affect pregnant women).
From 1 May, the Modena Local Health Authority has activated an “alert” system of the Public Health and Hygiene Service (SIP) until 31 October, which in close collaboration with the local municipalities monitors and activates emergency interventions to block the possible infections of diseases transmitted by the tiger mosquito. Precisely this synergy allowed the start of disinfestation interventions following the two cases of Dengue reported in recent days.
As foreseen by the Regional Plan, this year there will also be specific attention on sandflies, small blood-sucking insects smaller than mosquitoes, which bite silently in the twilight hours and at night. Unlike mosquitoes, the larvae of these insects are terrestrial, although they need humid microenvironments to complete their development. The most widespread species in Emilia-Romagna are Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus perfiliewiwith the latter being able to reach density notable in hilly environments.
In particular, control of sandflies became necessary after the significant number of cases in recent years in Emilia-Romagna of the neuroinvasive disease linked to the so-called Toscana virus, an often asymptomatic virus transmitted by these small insects. To monitor the presence and spread of pathogens transmitted by sandflies, sampling will be activated with attractive traps in hilly areas.
As far as mosquitoes are concerned, it becomes essential to implement prevention interventions and actions also by private citizens to reduce the proliferation and multiplication of tiger mosquitoes in particular as much as possible.
In this way, in addition to making green spaces more livable, we contribute to ensuring greater safety to protect the health of the community we are part of. A duty, therefore, to which everyone is called: from the Municipalities, responsible for treatments in public areas, to individual citizens, who must carry out the task of taking care of the spaces pertaining to them.
It is well known that in urbanized contexts, an area of great proliferation of the tiger mosquito, more than half of the green surfaces (vegetable gardens, gardens, parks) are privately owned: everyone’s contribution and collaboration in the correct management of these areas are therefore essential for protect the community from this type of health risk. Here are the main indications.
The handbook for citizens
It is important not to leave any type of container outdoors in which rainwater can collect, emptying any stagnant water in the ground as soon as possible; punctually carry out periodic larvicidal interventions in manholes, drains, drain grates, rainwater collection pits, including those present in basements and underground car parks; keep yards and outdoor areas clean of weeds, brush, and waste of all kinds; empty unused fountains and swimming pools or carry out appropriate larvicidal treatments. Among the actions to be carried out regularly at least until September, there is also that of preventing water collections from forming in excavation areas, bins, tires and other containers, which must be equipped with an airtight cover or dense mesh nets.
Particular precautions must also be respected in cemetery areas (fill vases with damp sand, even if they contain fake flowers) and by specific professional categories, such as managers of greenhouses, nurseries and plant and flower trade businesses, required to implement a fight antilarval that allows us to counteract the proliferation of mosquito species already present in the area and the introduction of exotic ones.
To combat mosquitoes, treatments with Adulticides must be considered extraordinary actions with exclusive health value. In fact, they are carried out, according to actions planned by the Public Hygiene Service, by the municipalities following the reporting of even suspected cases of infection transmitted by the tiger mosquito around the home and possibly the workplace (the tiger mosquito is active during daylight hours). They aim to eliminate these possible vectors of infection which, by feeding on blood to the detriment of the potentially infected person, could in turn become infected and therefore transmit the virus to other people. To ensure timely intervention to protect the health of fellow citizens, from May to October the Public Hygiene Service and the Municipalities have for many years activated an alert and emergency response system operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
