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Abourashed A, de Best PA, Doornekamp L, Sikkema RS, van Gorp ECM, Timen A, Bartumeus F, Palmer JRB, Koopmans MPG. Development and validation of the MosquitoWise survey to assess perceptions towards mosquitoes and mosquito-borne viruses in Europe. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1777. [PMID: 38245571 PMCID: PMC10799950 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52219-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to climate change and the expanding geographical ranges of key mosquito species, several mosquito-borne viruses (MBVs) have recently emerged in Europe. Understanding people's perceptions and behaviours towards these viruses and the mosquitoes capable of transmitting them is crucial for implementing effective prevention measures and targeted communication campaigns. However, there is currently no appropriate validated survey for European populations to assess this. This study developed and validated a standardized survey, based on the Health Belief Model (HBM), to assess perceptions of mosquitoes and MBVs among Europe's residents. The survey was distributed online to United Kingdom (UK), Dutch and Spanish participants through panel providers. Survey validity and reliability were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Cronbach's alpha. The optimised survey was completed by 336 UK, 438 Dutch and 475 Spanish residents, respectively, and the HBM items passed our validity and reliability testing in all three countries. The final survey has 57 questions, including 19 validated HBM items, and questions to assess demographic characteristics, knowledge, prevention measures and behavioural determinants. Our MosquitoWise survey bridges researchers' understandings of European residents' perceptions and knowledge as a first step to improve preventive behaviour towards mosquitoes and MBVs and guide prevention and communication initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayat Abourashed
- Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GD, The Netherlands.
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), 17300, Blanes, Spain.
| | - Pauline A de Best
- Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GD, The Netherlands
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, 3721 MA, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Doornekamp
- Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GD, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GD, The Netherlands
| | - Reina S Sikkema
- Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GD, The Netherlands
- Centre for Avian Migration, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, 6708 PB, The Netherlands
| | - Eric C M van Gorp
- Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GD, The Netherlands
| | - Aura Timen
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, 3721 MA, The Netherlands
- Department of Primary and Community Care, RadboudUMC, Nijmegen, 6525 GA, The Netherlands
- Athena Institute, VU University, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Frederic Bartumeus
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), 17300, Blanes, Spain
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010, Barcelona, Spain
| | - John R B Palmer
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08005, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marion P G Koopmans
- Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GD, The Netherlands
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Johnston C, Vaux A, Cull B, Medlock J. Passive surveillance records including nuisance or suspected invasive/non-native mosquitoes in the United Kingdom, 2005-2021. JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN MOSQUITO CONTROL ASSOCIATION 2023. [DOI: 10.52004/jemca2022.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Alongside active surveillance at ports and land transport sites, the UK Health Security Agency runs a passive mosquito surveillance scheme: The Mosquito Recording Scheme (MRS). The MRS is a citizen-science scheme, it receives and identifies mosquitoes submitted by members of the public, including in response to nuisance biting incidents. The aims of the scheme are to detect unusual or invasive species, provide a log of reportable incidents of nuisance mosquito biting, and gain insight into the seasonality of British mosquito biting. Between 2005 and 2021, 286 submissions of mosquitoes were submitted to the MRS, all of which were native UK species, 23 specifically reported nuisance biting, with 92.7% of submissions from England. In total 16 species were submitted with Culiseta annulata (39%) and Culex pipiens s.l. (26% of submissions) the most common, with records of these species throughout the years. Case studies giving examples of a range of submissions and a flow chart of the workflow when receiving a submission are described. Reasons for the low incidence of submissions compared to comparable schemes in Europe are discussed and recommendations on how to improve the scheme is given.
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Affiliation(s)
- C.J. Johnston
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology group, United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - A.G.C. Vaux
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology group, United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - B. Cull
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology group, United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - J.M. Medlock
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology group, United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
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Osório HC, Rocha J, Roquette R, Guerreiro NM, Zé-Zé L, Amaro F, Silva M, Alves MJ. Seasonal Dynamics and Spatial Distribution of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in a Temperate Region in Europe, Southern Portugal. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E7083. [PMID: 32992664 PMCID: PMC7579007 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17197083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Aedes albopictus is an invasive mosquito that has colonized several European countries as well as Portugal, where it was detected for the first time in 2017. To increase the knowledge of Ae. albopictus population dynamics, a survey was carried out in the municipality of Loulé, Algarve, a Southern temperate region of Portugal, throughout 2019, with Biogents Sentinel traps (BGS traps) and ovitraps. More than 19,000 eggs and 400 adults were identified from May 9 (week 19) and December 16 (week 50). A positive correlation between the number of females captured in the BGS traps and the number of eggs collected in ovitraps was found. The start of activity of A. albopictus in May corresponded to an average minimum temperature above 13.0 °C and an average maximum temperature of 26.2 °C. The abundance peak of this A. albopictus population was identified from September to November. The positive effect of temperature on the seasonal activity of the adult population observed highlight the importance of climate change in affecting the occurrence, abundance, and distribution patterns of this species. The continuously monitoring activities currently ongoing point to an established population of A. albopictus in Loulé, Algarve, in a dispersion process to other regions of Portugal and raises concern for future outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases associated with this invasive mosquito species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo C. Osório
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research/National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida da Liberdade 5, 2965-575 Águas de Moura, Portugal; (L.Z.-Z.); (F.A.); (M.S.); (M.J.A.)
- Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, Ed. Egas Moniz, Piso0, Ala C, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jorge Rocha
- Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, University of Lisbon, Rua Branca Edmée Marques, 1600-276 Lisboa, Portugal;
| | - Rita Roquette
- Department of Epidemiology/National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-019 Lisboa, Portugal;
- NOVA Information Management School, Campus de Campolide, 1070-312 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Nélia M. Guerreiro
- Department of Public Health and Planning, Algarve Regional Health Administration, IP, Rua Brites de Almeida, n° 6, 3rd Dt° 8000-234 Faro, Portugal;
| | - Líbia Zé-Zé
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research/National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida da Liberdade 5, 2965-575 Águas de Moura, Portugal; (L.Z.-Z.); (F.A.); (M.S.); (M.J.A.)
- BioISI—Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Fátima Amaro
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research/National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida da Liberdade 5, 2965-575 Águas de Moura, Portugal; (L.Z.-Z.); (F.A.); (M.S.); (M.J.A.)
- Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, Ed. Egas Moniz, Piso0, Ala C, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Manuel Silva
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research/National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida da Liberdade 5, 2965-575 Águas de Moura, Portugal; (L.Z.-Z.); (F.A.); (M.S.); (M.J.A.)
| | - Maria João Alves
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research/National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida da Liberdade 5, 2965-575 Águas de Moura, Portugal; (L.Z.-Z.); (F.A.); (M.S.); (M.J.A.)
- Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, Ed. Egas Moniz, Piso0, Ala C, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
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