With the arrival of summer, mosquitoes also arrive, punctual and annoying. The alarm went off in Italy: here’s what they can broadcast.
Even those who were anxiously and impatiently waiting for summer, to enjoy a few days at the beach, lake or in the mountains, have already regretted having waited for it with so much enthusiasm because they forgot to a typical problem of this season: mosquitoes. Annoying and irritating, the females of these insects sting because the substances contained in the blood of the mammals help them in the development of the eggs: however, with their bite, what diseases they can transmit.
Infected mosquitoes, alarm in Italy: what diseases do they transmit (pontilenews.it)
If on some people the mosquito bite causes a brief itch that disappears in a few seconds, on other subjects it instead creates great irritations, with swellings and in some cases also the need for a pharmacological intervention through the application of cortisone-based creams. In reality, however, the risk of develop a mosquito-borne disease it concerns both those who are somehow allergic to it and those who, on the other hand, almost do not even feel the stings: this is what diseases we are talking about.
Alarm in Italy: diseases carried by mosquitoes
One of the most widespread diseases, among those caused by mosquitoes, is the West Nile: Italy, in particular, has the record of cases in Europe. According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, 1100 confirmed cases of West Nile were reported in 2022, 723 of which were in Italy alone. This disease is caused by the common mosquito: if in most cases it passes quickly, in a small percentage of people it can cause high fever, severe encephalitis and a form of meningitis which, very rarely, can even lead to death.
Infected mosquitoes, alarm in Italy: what diseases do they transmit (pontilenews.it)
The tiger mosquito, on the other hand, can be the vector of diseases such as Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya: all three are characterized by a fever that exceeds 38.5° for at least three days, with flu symptoms such as exhaustion, headache and bone pain. The main basins of mosquitoes that can cause disease in Italy are to be found in the Po Valley area and therefore in the regions of Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont with some cases also in Tuscany and Emilia Romagna.
The main factor for the reproduction and diffusion of these mosquitoes is humidity, typical of these areas of northern Italy. To protect oneself it is therefore necessary to use repellent sprays and avoid very humid areas, especially in the morning and evening.