Review article
Asian tiger mosquito and autochthonous dengue fever in Croatia
Nada Brnčić
; Klinika za infektivne bolesti, KBC Rijeka, Rijeka
Iva Kruljac
; Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Rijeci, Rijeka
Đana Pahor
; Odjel za epidemiologiju, Nastavni zavod za zaštitu zdravlja, PGŽ, Rijeka
Abstract
Dengue fever is an acute infectious disease characterized by fever, headache, myalgia
and rash, caused by one of four different viruses of the genus Flaviviridae. The two main
vectors for dengue viruses are mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.
Aedes albopictus or Asian tiger mosquito is capable of rapid expansion and conquest of new
spaces and it is biologically significant health mosquito species, whose expansion in the world
was closely followed the last twenty years. During that time, he spreads throw neighboring Italy,
and therefore the spread throw the Croatian territory was expected. For the first time the
Asian tiger mosquito was discovered in Croatia 2004. near Zagreb, but because he very aggressively
pushes native species, it soon spread all along the Adriatic coast from Istria to Dubrovnik.
The first cases of imported dengue fever were reported in 2007. The first case was Spanish
journalist, stayed for some time in India, before arriving in Dubrovnik, and the other was
Croatian student who came back from Indonesia.
Dengue fever has become one of the most important emerging diseases that poses problem
among international travelers. Croatia is not endemic area for dengue viruses. However, the
emergence of autochthonous dengue fevers in October 2010 on Pelješac, seek considerable
alert to all professionals, both employees of the public health, and all other medical professionals
in Croatia.
Keywords
Aedes albopictus; Asian tiger mosquito; autochthonous dengue fever; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
98607
URI
Publication date:
4.3.2013.
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