In 2013, EMCA first issued, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), guidelines on mosquito control of sanitary importance in Europe.Since then, the conditions, the landscape, the pressures on the mosquito control sector have increased, which is why at the EMCA conference in Vienna in October 2021, it was decided to hold a workshop in Mendrisio, Switzerland in November 2022 on best practices in mosquito control. After the successful conduct of this interactive workshop (110 participants from all over Europe), there was a proposal from WHO, and more specifically from the Head of TDR (Technology, Development & Research) Florence Fouque, for the drafting of a guidance manual on best practices for mosquito control in the built environment by EMCA with the support of WHO.
The objectives of this project are:
- Provide professional guidance on integrated mosquito control in built-up areas
- Promote sustainable and cost-effective methods of mosquito control
- Provide knowledge on alternative methods of mosquito control currently affecting the environment, such as mosquito mite control
The final deliverable, i.e. the best practice manual, will be freely accessible and posted on the WHO and EMCA websites.
The process of writing this manual strictly follows the relevant WHO guidelines for the creation of evidence-based guidelines and thus involves the creation of two independent teams (Guideline Writing Team and Scientific Review Team) under the coordination of Sandra Gewehr (Principal Investigator). At the forthcoming EMCA conference in Mallorca, Spain in November 2023, progress on this manual (Part A – Mosquito Surveillance and Control) will be presented, with a delivery timeframe of early 2024 and possible future follow-up for Part B – Preparedness and Risk Assessment.
The production of this manual of best practices for mosquito control in the built environment by EMCA and given the active involvement of Ecodevelopment throughout the project is particularly significant. Mosquito control at European level is now a professional field in full development, all the more so with the emergence and re-emergence of mosquito-borne diseases currently in European countries and the climate crisis exacerbating this phenomenon.