[Aedes albopictus (tiger mosquito) and arboviroses: What to expect in the coming years?]

Abstract

First observed in France in 1999, Aedes albopictus (tiger mosquito) is now established in almost all French departments. As a vector of arboviruses, in particular dengue fever, A. albopictus represents a real threat in Europe, where 304 autochthonous cases of dengue fever were reported in 2024, four times more than the total number of cases reported during the entire 2010-2021 period. Although dengue is asymptomatic in the majority of cases, it can cause severe forms of the disease as hemorrhagic fever (less than 5% of cases). In the context of an unprecedented number of imported cases since the beginning of 2024, notably due to an epidemic in Martinique and Guadeloupe, dengue may be evoked as a diagnosis in patients presenting with a febrile, algic syndrome, which may be accompanied by a skin rash and digestive signs. In this context, entomovirological and epidemiological surveillances are essential to improve our understanding and the control possible future dengue epidemics.