Wanted: mosquito corpses for research on the West Nile virus. The University of Wageningen (WUR) is calling on people to kill mosquitoes and send them to get more insight into the spread of the virus, which first appeared in the Netherlands in October last year.
–
Seven people from the regions of Utrecht and Arnhem became infected with it. The virus causes fever and other flu-like symptoms in 20 percent of those infected. However, about 1 percent of people who are infected can also develop a serious neurological disease, such as encephalitis. And a small part of that can die from it, says biologist Arnold van Vliet of WUR.
–
It’s not something to really fear, but we want to be alert
–
Hotspots
“It’s not something to really fear, but we want to be alert,” he explains. By examining dead mosquitoes, the university wants to find out the risk people run of contracting the West Nile virus from the mosquito. The researchers who are working on it also want to gain insight into which mosquitoes are common, which nuisance they cause and where they get the blood they live on: from humans, or from horses or birds, for example?
–
The university would also like to know what the ‘hotspots’ are, the places where there are relatively many mosquitoes. “We don’t have a good idea of that now.”
–
Real garden culture
The West Nile virus is transmitted from birds to humans via mosquitoes. The virus is much more common in the south of Europe than here, until now. “It is not unlikely that the number of mosquitoes with the West Nile virus will expand here, because we have a real garden culture with many bowls and uncovered rain barrels in which the mosquito feels at home. It is also rich in birds here. The chance that you will contract the West Nile virus here is still small. But we have to be prepared, which is why we do thorough research into it. ”
–
The researchers are happy with all the mosquitoes, including the bodies that have been scraped off the wall, so to speak. On the basis of DNA material, the type can still be determined. The mosquitoes can be sent via muggenradar.nl.
–
Van Vliet thinks that people should ultimately make more sure that they are not stung, with the help of mosquito nets and mosquito nets, for example.
–
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and don’t miss out on the stars.
–
–
