PRESS RELEASE

Researchers and experts from across Europe gathered yesterday in Trento for a scientific workshop dedicated to the study of the “Korean mosquito”, jointly organized by Fondazione Edmund Mach, MUSE – Museo delle Scienze, University of Camerino and University of Pavia.

The event aims to improve knowledge of this additional invasive species of Asian origin, similar to the Asian tiger mosquito but more cold-tolerant, and to assess the epidemiological risk associated with the potential transmission of pathogens. The workshop fostered the exchange of field data and the development of new collaborations to address an emerging public health issue that is constantly evolving.

“Despite its rapid spread, many aspects of the biology of the Korean mosquito remain unclear,” the researchers explain. “This meeting serves to coordinate surveillance efforts and define research priorities in order to provide new decision-support tools for public health prevention activities.”

Now established in several European regions and temperate climates, Aedes koreicus remains less studied than the better-known Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus. In the Province of Trento, the species is stably present in several municipalities, including the capital city, with peak activity generally observed between July and September.

Fondazione Edmund Mach and MUSE have been monitoring invasive mosquito species in the Province of Trento for years, also in collaboration with local municipalities. The Foundation coordinates the provincial One Health surveillance board, involving multiple local stakeholders, and conducts experiments and analyses to identify the main host species on which Aedes koreicus feeds and to quantify its response to different temperature gradients under climate change scenarios (European project MSCA-PF IFTAMED).

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Press Office Contacts – FEM and MUSE
silvia.ceschini@fmach.it – +39 339 7392973
Chiara.Veronesi@muse.it – +39 342 7210456