Dengue fever, chikungunya: A potential vector discovered in Mayotte
Tuesday, September 24, 2013 - 08:00
in Biology & Nature
IRD researchers and their partners at the French Regional Health Agency, Indian Ocean, have identified a new mosquito species in Mayotte, which could be a vector of dengue fever and chikungunya hitherto unknown. Stegomyia pia , as the scientists have named it, in fact belongs to a group of species that transmit these viruses. The notorious tiger mosquito is one of them. The discovery of this new Mahoran mosquito species, a potential vector, enables researchers to find out more about the mosquitoes that have to be dealt with, and will contribute to the effectiveness of prevention programmes for these diseases.