Mosquitoes are responsible for the transmission of several pathogenic microorganisms to humans, causing mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever, West Nile virus (WNV) disease, Chikungunya fever, and Rift Valley fever (RVF). Although there are numerous native mosquito species (e.g. Anopheles and Culex spp.) present and thus able to transmit pathogens in Europe, other mosquito species (e.g. Aedes spp.) have recently been introduced and become established in the continent. Among them, the tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is probably the major threat to public health in Europe. The presence of these tropical species means that there is a risk of the appearance of autochthonous mosquito-borne diseases that have previously never or rarely been seen in Europe, acquired after importation from endemic countries .
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