For the past twenty years, the tiger mosquito has been expanding rapidly in France, threatening public health as a vector of serious illnesses such as chikungunya, dengue or zika. In Obernai, specialized teams are increasing demosters to try to contain it, but vigilance remains in order, especially among travelers returning from tropical zones.
It is one of the biggest predators for humans, despite its tiny size. The tiger mosquito invades almost all regions of the world, or almost. Detected in France for the first time about twenty years ago, he has known since a dazzling expansion.
It is now detected in 81 metropolitan departments. Vector of potentially serious diseases such as chikungunya, dengue or zika, tiger mosquito is practically impossible to dislodge once installed somewhere. The only effective solution to eliminate it: demoustication operations.
Radical solution, but which requires taking precautions. In Obernai, in the Bas-Rhin, a team specializing in demoustication operated overnight to defeat the insect.
Effective insecticide
During the night, only the pick-up of Jean-Noël and his co-pilot breaks the silence. At the back of the vehicle, a large tank connected to a cannon full of a formidable insecticide.
“Concretely, it looks like a big spray. These are really micro-wastelets, with a cloud that rises 5-6 meters high without problem. The mosquitoes that fly will die. To be effective, this insecticide is,” says the professional.
He sprinkles the streets within a radius of 150 meters around the home of a person affected by the Zika. Residents were warned. They had to keep their windows closed and be confined.
“You shouldn’t get into the cloud and breathe the cloud. They cannot go out immediately after treatment. If they have a little garden, you have to pay attention to fruits, vegetables, rinse them,” he advises.
Watch out for travelers
In 30 years of career, Jean-Noël has never done as many interventions this summer. “There are more and more tiger mosquitoes. People continue to travel and unfortunately bring these diseases back, which multiplies treatments. There is little transmission of viruses on metropolitan soil thanks to these treatments,” confirms Clémence Augustin of the regional health agency of the Grand Est.
To avoid getting there, she advises travelers who come back from tropical countries, which can be sick without knowing it, to spray themselves from anti-mosquito repellents still ten days after their return.