Alarm in the Göppingen district: Asian tiger mosquitoes are spreading!

Alarm in the Göppingen district: Asian tiger mosquitoes are spreading!

The Asian tiger mosquito is increasingly spreading in the Göppingen district, especially in Uhingen. In recent years there have been numerous reports of the presence of these mosquitoes. The city of Uhingen has responded to the problem and provides information in a flyer about measures to combat the tiger mosquito population, which was initially native to Southeast Asia and has been detected in Germany since 2007. According to the Filstal wave The Asian tiger mosquito, with a striped pattern and a body size of only 2 to 10 millimeters, is smaller than domestic mosquitoes, which can grow up to 10 millimeters in size.

The tiger mosquito has spread in various federal states such as Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Bavaria and of course also in Baden-Württemberg. Their breeding grounds are particularly small collections of water that can be found in many gardens, such as filled watering cans, buckets and plant pot saucers. The city therefore recommends emptying any pools of water, filling plant pot bases and holes in walls with gravel or sand, and changing the water in children's paddling pools and animal troughs weekly.

Dangers and transmissions

The Asian tiger mosquito can transmit dangerous tropical diseases, making it a serious health risk. The over 20 potentially transmissible pathogens include, for example, the dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses. The ZDF even rates the tiger mosquito as the deadliest animal in the world and points out that its bites occur mainly during the day and are considered particularly aggressive.

There are several protective measures against mosquito bites, including wearing long, light-colored clothing and using fly screens and anti-mosquito sprays with ingredients such as DEET or Icaridin. The Standing Vaccination Commission has also recommended vaccinations against dengue fever to protect the population.

Control and biological approach

To curb the spread of tiger mosquitoes, some cities are using the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI) to combat their larvae. However, the BUND expresses concerns about the safety of BTI and calls for more information about possible negative effects. The Fraunhofer Institute in Giessen is working on innovative methods, such as RNA interference, which is intended to specifically combat viruses in tiger mosquitoes without harming the mosquito population as a whole.

Climate change also plays a role, as warm summer periods could lengthen and increase the risk of disease transmission. However, so far the Robert Koch Institute in Germany has not observed any disease transmission by tiger mosquitoes.

In summary, Asian tiger mosquitoes are not only an annoying but also a dangerous phenomenon that poses an increased health risk for many people. Raising public awareness and taking preventive measures are crucial to prevent further spread.