BayByeMos

Growing risks from mosquito-borne diseases in Bavaria: raising awareness among affected target groups and informing broad sections of society

The BayByeMos project of the Chair of Biogeography at the University of Bayreuth and the Institute of Medical Management and Health Sciences is investigating the growing risks of mosquito-borne diseases in Bavaria.

Mosquito-borne diseases are still largely underestimated risks. The transmission of such diseases has not played a significant role in this country in the recent past. This goes hand in hand with the high probability that such diseases cannot be correctly diagnosed in the event of local transmission. The problem is new and complex because arboviral diseases such as dengue or chikungunya are transmitted by insects that were previously not found in Central Europe. These are often introduced through the movement of goods and travel and spread invasively like the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus). However, native mosquito species can also transmit novel viruses, such as West Nile virus, which was introduced via migratory birds and travelers. A validated early warning system is not yet available throughout Germany.

Climate change in Bavaria continues to influence the colonization of novel mosquitoes and pathogens, be it through longer activity phases, the number of mosquito generations or the survival of embryos in eggs under milder winter conditions. The replication of viruses in the mosquito is also faster in warm temperatures. Urban heat islands pose a particular challenge for an early warning system, as conventional model approaches often do not achieve the necessary fine spatial resolution to take the microclimate into account. A detailed analysis of the influence of urban heat islands on the settlement and development of mosquitoes and the possibility of disease transmission is not available throughout Germany.