LEAD – The Leiden Naturalis Biodiversity Center will conduct research on mosquitoes in Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao for the first time since 1948. There have been outbreaks of several serious mosquito-borne diseases over the last decade on the islands. Research must show where mosquito colonies are located and which mosquitoes are involved, so that outbreaks can be effectively prevented or controlled, Naturalis says.
Mosquitoes can transmit diseases such as dengue fever, Zika fever, malaria and West Nile fever. There have been several outbreaks of these diseases in the Caribbean. Updating knowledge about mosquitoes in overseas territories is important, say the researchers.
Due to climate change and an increasing number of inhabitants, there have been changes and will occur again in the future. Controlling a specific mosquito population is often the only way to slow the spread of pathogens.
In 2018, a research team has already tracked the mosquitoes in Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius and Saba. This resulted in eleven different types of mosquitoes, two of which were new and disease-spreading species for the Caribbean. The research has also provided a new way to more quickly identify mosquitoes on islands.
The new research starts tomorrow in Aruba. The researchers will stay on each island for seven to ten days. They catch mosquitoes in traps and count the larvae in the water. Mosquito research is funded by the Ministry of Health.
