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The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned of an increasing risk of mosquito-borne diseases in Europe.
Aedes mosquitoes, which transmit chikungunya, dengue fever, West Nile and Zika viruses, are now found in Albania, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Moldova, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey.
West Nile virus is also transmitted by Culex mosquitoes which are widespread in Europe.
In 2022, 1,133 cases (including 92 deaths) of West Nile virus disease were reported from: Italy, Greece, Romania, Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Austria, France, Spain, Slovakia and Bulgaria.
There were outbreaks of dengue fever in France and Spain in 2022, with 71 cases in total.
Chikungunya and Zika viruses have also been transmitted in European countries in recent years.
All travellers to regions where these infections are present are potentially at risk of infection.
Mosquito bite avoidance is the only method of reducing the risk of infection. Mosquito bites can happen at any time of night or day.
Clinical presentation from mosquito-borne infections can be vague, and ranges from mild / asymptomatic infection, fever +/- generalised flu-like illness to severe illness.
No vaccine is available against chikungunya, zika virus or West Nile virus. A new dengue vaccine Qdenga® has been licensed in the UK but is not yet available.
Travellers who become unwell with a fever and any other symptoms either during or on return from travel are advised to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
