[Mosquito Surveillance at Airports and Seaports to Prevent and Control Emerging Mosquito-borne Diseases in the Republic of Korea, 2024].

OBJECTIVES

Climate change and the expansion of international exchanges have significant impacts on ecosystems and human society. Among these, an increase in mosquito habitats promotes the possibility of introducing infectious diseases and mosquitoes overseas. The surveillance of invasive mosquitoes is an essential intervention in the prevention of such factors.

METHODS

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency selected 36 sites from 19 domestic airports and seaports for surveillance twice a month from April to October 2024 to prevent the introduction and spread of mosquito-borne diseases. BG-sentinel traps, light-emitting diode traps, and gravid traps were used for mosquito collection, and mosquitoes were identified and tested for the presence of flaviviruses (i.e., dengue, yellow fever, West Nile, Japanese encephalitis, and Zika virus).

RESULTS

The collection of 47,879 mosquitoes from 15 species included major species, such as Aedes albopictus, Aedes vexans, and Culex pipiens. Among these, Culex pipiens, the vector for West Nile fever, accounted for 52.4%, followed by Aedes vexans (17.5%) and Aedes albopictus, which transmits Dengue fever and Zika virus infection (7.3%). Non-native species, such as Aedes aegypti and Haemagogus spp., were not observed. Flaviviruses were not detected in the mosquitoes.

CONCLUSIONS

The National Quarantine Stations and public health centers were notified of the surveillance results to ensure effective disinfection and mosquito control. The study findings can contribute significantly to the establishment of a comprehensive system to prevent the introduction of invasive mosquitoes and vector-borne diseases within quarantine areas through cooperation with relevant authorities.