Headlines - Monitoring of the Establishment of Aedes albopictus in Mainland France

Native to Southeast Asia, Aedes albopictus (or the "tiger mosquito") is highly adaptable, a trait that has allowed it to thrive in a variety of environments. As a result, it has established itself in temperate countries, including southern Europe, and notably in Italy over the past two decades. It is the primary vector for chikungunya in the Indian Ocean and also a vector for dengue. The French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS) has just published an update on seasonal surveillance of chikungunya in the 17 departments of southern France under enhanced surveillance [1]. Among the 200 suspected cases reported from May 1, 2013, to August 16, 2013, 76 imported cases of dengue and one imported case of chikungunya were confirmed; there were no locally acquired cases. It should be noted that in mainland France, under favorable environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, ecology), the simultaneous presence of imported cases of chikungunya or dengue in the viremic phase and the vector is likely to trigger a local transmission chain and indigenous cases. This was confirmed in 2010 with the emergence of 2 locally acquired cases of chikungunya in Fréjus and 2 locally acquired cases of dengue in Nice. Mandatory reporting of confirmed cases of dengue and chikungunya (imported and autochthonous) to the InVS was established in 2006. The anti-spread plan was updated last April [2]. Six new departments were classified as Level 1 (Aedes albopictus established and active) in 2013, marking a spread toward our regions