Abstract
BackgroundIn 2012, the new guidelines for the surveillance of IMS in Europe, produced by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), were tested in Belgium. This study aimed at (1) testing the usefulness and applicability in the field of the ECDC guidelines for the surveillance of IMS in Europe and (2) surveying IMS throughout Belgium.MethodsFirst, the scenarios, which Belgium is facing, were identified according to the ECDC guidelines. Second, the surveillance strategy and the methods were identified based on the guidelines and adjusted to the Belgium context. Two areas colonised by IMS and 20 potential points of entry (PoE) were selected. Mosquito Magnet Liberty Plus (CO2-baited) traps (23) and oviposition traps (147) were set-up, and larval sampling was performed monthly or bi-monthly from July till October 2012. Finally, the costs and workload of the surveillance activities were compared to the estimates provided by the ECDC guidelines.ResultsSurveillance at 20 potential PoE (complying with scenario 1) revealed that no new IMS were established in Belgium. Surveillance at two sites colonised by IMS (scenario 2) indicated that although control measures have drastically reduced the Ae. j. japonicus population this species is still present. Furthermore, Ae. koreicus is permanently established. For both scenarios, the problems encountered are discussed and recommendations are given. In addition, the actual workload was lower than the estimated workload, while the actual costs were higher than the estimated ones.ConclusionsThe ECDC guidelines are helpful, applicable and efficient to implement surveillance of IMS in Belgium. Recommendations were customised to the local context (political demands, salary and investment costs, and existing expertise). The workload and costs related to the preparatory phase (i.e., planning, contacts with the PoE, writing a protocol) were found to be missing in the cost evaluation suggested in the guidelines. Updates on the occurrence of IMS in Belgium and the related risk for disease agents they can transmit will only be available once a structured and permanent surveillance system is implemented.
Highlights
In 2012, the new guidelines for the surveillance of invasive mosquito species (IMS) in Europe, produced by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), were tested in Belgium
Scenario 1: surveillance at potential points of entry (PoE) in Belgium Two used tyre companies and one parking lot were not accessible, one shelter for imported plants went bankrupt, one parking lot could not be contacted and one port was found to be at low risk for IMS import during a visit
The number of mosquito species and adults captured with the MMLP was highest at the storage sites for imported used tyres, but no IMS were captured with the MMLP traps in the 20 PoE (Additional file 3)
Summary
In 2012, the new guidelines for the surveillance of IMS in Europe, produced by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), were tested in Belgium. In 2000, one larva and one pupa of Ae. albopictus were collected on the premises of a tyre company in Belgium (East Flanders) [12] but the species did not survive in the area. This species was, reintroduced in 2013 at the same location [13]. Japonicus most likely had been introduced through the second hand tyre trade, the introduction pathway of Ae. koreicus remains unclear as it was found in a forest near an industrial zone, without an evident link with a commerce route [16] Whereas Ae. j. japonicus most likely had been introduced through the second hand tyre trade, the introduction pathway of Ae. koreicus remains unclear as it was found in a forest near an industrial zone, without an evident link with a commerce route [16]
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