Mosquitoes 'could bring exotic diseases to UK'
Do you have a health problem? then join our community health discussion forum room.
Mosquitoes could bring diseases such as dengue fever and West Nile virus to the UK within the next few decades, experts are warning.
Writing in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, they said warmer UK temperatures could make conditions favourable for the insects to breed.
However, climate change is just one of many factors in the spread of diseases.
Public Health England said it had been monitoring places where mosquitoes like to lay eggs, such as used tyres.
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
They develop faster at higher temperatures so during a mild winter they won't be killed off”
Dr Jolyon Medlock
Public Health England
Scientists from the emergency response department at Public Health England, who wrote the report, said there were already 34 different species of mosquito in the UK.
In some parts of Europe, mosquitoes and ticks - which carry particular diseases transmitted by biting insects - are on the rise.
UK - watch out for Mosquitoes
Re: UK - watch out for Mosquitoes
Down here in the south east, Kent has native mosquitos particularly in the sparsely populated area known as the Isle of Grain. Up until recently they were plentiful, such that spraying was necessary to keep their numbers down. Today with the removal of livestock from the marshy areas, mosquitos numbers have declined sharply.
Regards
PKG1
Regards
PKG1
|
|