Sweden needs to prepare for the possibility that tropical diseases such as dengue fever and the Zika virus may come here with new types of mosquitoes. That’s according to Doctors Without Borders, which is calling for more research into tropical diseases.
– What we see is that the mosquitoes are constantly moving north, says Anders Lindström, researcher at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute.
Mosquito species that have not previously been established in Sweden can spread north with a warmer climate and spread new diseases here.
The organization Doctors Without Borders says that it is best for Sweden to prepare for it already – and wants the government to invest more in research into the diseases, something that Sweden’s Radio Echo was the first to report on.
– Awareness of these diseases is far too low in Sweden. This despite the fact that they risk posing major future health threats as a result of increased climate change, poverty and conflicts, says Oliver Schulz, Secretary General of Doctors Without Borders in Sweden, in a press release.
Researchers at SVA: The question is whether they can establish themselves
It is known that mosquito species from southern Europe that can carry tropical diseases move north, but even if they come to Sweden, it does not necessarily mean that they will become permanent residents. And it can take several years before, for example, the Asian tiger mosquito reaches Sweden.
Anders Lindström, researcher at the Norwegian Veterinary Medicines Agency (SVA) says that it can still be good to prepare for new infections such as dengue fever and Zika virus.
– It is above all the Asian tiger mosquito that spreads this virus in Europe. It is found in southern Germany and can probably establish itself in southern Sweden. The question is whether it can become so numerous that it can drive an eruption, I don’t know. If we get a warmer climate in the future similar to that in Europe, the risk of outbreaks increases, says Lindström.
Difficult to eradicate
If favorable conditions and warmer temperatures lead to more disease-spreading mosquitoes establishing themselves in Sweden, it is difficult to reverse the trend once they have taken hold.
– There is probably very little you can do, unfortunately. Experience from Europe, where attempts have been made to combat these mosquitoes once they have established themselves, shows that it is quite difficult.