Mosquitoes and ticks occur naturally in the Netherlands. The One Health Travel study of the LUMC and the UMC Utrecht investigates, among other things, West Nile, Usutu, Sindbis, Chikungunya, Dengue, Zika virus infections and tick cephalitis. These infections are transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito or tick and are also known as ‘arbovirus infections’.
The Netherlands is vulnerable to outbreaks of these viral diseases because of the water-dominated landscape, the population density, our large livestock and the expected appearance of new mosquito species. These factors may cause arbovirus infections to spread here in the future.
Risks for the Netherlands
“It is important that we learn more about the risks to the Netherlands when it comes to these infections due to mosquito and tick bites,” says Patricia Bruijning, project leader and pediatric epidemiologist at UMC Utrecht. It is not yet known how great the risk is that travelers within Europe and the Caribbean Netherlands will contract an arbovirus infection, because the symptoms are often mild and resemble flu-like complaints, for which people do not go to the doctor. The undetected infections among returning travelers may (in the future) pose a threat to public health. Fortunately, it is not that far yet, but it is important that this threat is properly mapped out so that measures can be taken if necessary.
Traveling in Europe? Download the app
The One Health Travel study requires 1,000 travelers who go on holiday in Europe (including the Netherlands) or the Caribbean Netherlands. During the trip, participants will be asked to keep track of data about their health, activities during the trip and mosquito nuisance they experience via an app. When they return home, they take some blood themselves by means of a finger prick, which is tested for the prevention of mosquito-borne infections. “With this app, we keep our finger on the pulse of new infections and mosquito nuisance while travelling,” says Leo Visser, professor at the LUMC.
By: National Care Guide
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