The second year of the three-year on-ground mosquito control project of the Region of Central Macedonia, whose field work started in early April, will be completed in mid-October. The monitoring of the project (sampling, spraying interventions, results, vehicle fleet movement, etc.) was carried out in real time through the ebite web platform, to which 59 users designated by the Contracting Authority as well as competent officials of all municipalities of the Region had classified access.
Actions
In response to human cases of West Nile virus (WNV), joint epidemiological risk response protocols were activated and implemented for 74 cases. Among others, the following took place:
- 62 spraying applications (super low volume)
- Interventions in 21,000 private cesspools in 113 settlements at high risk of West Nile Virus infection
- Three cycles of blood sampling and analysis of poultry in 45 settlements for the detection of West Nile Virus
This year, based on the entries on the e-bite platform, the following took place:
- Larval sampling and ground spraying in 780 settlements of the Region on a regular basis and in all wetland systems of the Region
- Monthly inspections of 61,000 stormwater manholes in 10 major cities
- The entomological monitoring network was strengthened with the installation of five real-time automatic mosquito larval capture counters.
- In particular for the species Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger), an independent parallel monitoring network was set up in the urban complex of Thessaloniki with 74 trap sites and 60 other sites in the rest of the Region.
- In the context of entomological surveillance, the General Directorate of Public Health, in cooperation with the National Public Health Organisation, shared the data from the mosquito larvae surveillance network (72 capture sites).
The field work was carried out by a total of 37 crews supported by a team of 15 highly qualified scientists, using specialized equipment, including more than 25 spraying vehicles, two drones, one amphibious vehicle, eight special application spraying units (ULV, LV).
Results
- Firstly, in terms of mosquito nuisance, nuisance levels this year were low, with average sampling levels of Culex, Aedes and Anopheles larvae being 30% lower than the average over the last three years, a fact reflected both by calls from citizens to the public hotline and testimonials from residents and visitors to the District.
- In relation to the endemic West Nile Virus disease, this year, based on the low circulation of the pathogen in mosquito and sentinel animals as early as mid-June and relatively low abundances of larval and adult mosquitoes, we had announced low/moderate intensity of virus transmission. This was confirmed, as today at the end of the active transmission period of WNV, the total number of cases in the Region of Central Macedonia is 74, compared to 104 cases corresponding to the average number of cases of the last six years (2023/73, 2022/235, 2021/50, 2020/94, 2019/54, 2018/116), and even during a warm winter, an arid spring and a summer with prolonged heatwave in July-August in 2024.
- Finally, regarding other mosquito-borne diseases, no cases of malaria were recorded, nor was the non-native species Aedes aegypti detected in any trap.