Mosquitoes in Ghadira reserve pose no health risk - Health Ministry

The report which deals with the effect of climate change on vector-borne diseases refers to “a recent investigation looking at vector-borne diseases in Malta which identified abundant populations of culex pipiens, one of the main vectors of West Nile Fever, in a bird reserve in the north of the island close to one of the largest beaches”.

But it turns out that Culex pipiens, unlike the more dangerous Asian Tiger Mosquito which was sighted in Malta in September 2009, is the most common mosquito found in Maltese households.

“Culex Pipiens is very abundant and has been so for many years and has not resulted in any disease outbreaks, so the threat at this stage is not considered to be significant,” the Ministry spokesperson said.

According to health officials the mosquito can only be infectious to humans, if it carries the West Nile virus inside it and transmits the infection through biting. According to the Ministry the mosquito tends to find a home in natural areas, especially where birds and horses reside.

“That is why it was found in great quantities near our bird reserve,” the spokesperson told MaltaToday.

So far the Health Authorities have never diagnosed a case of West Nile fever in Malta. The West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord). The virus mainly infects birds, but is known to infect humans, horses, dogs, cats and domestic rabbits. The main route of human infection is through the bite of an infected mosquito.

While the threat from culex pipiens remains minimal, the Ministry has appointed a committee to monitor the presence of the larger and more dangerous Asian Tiger Mosquito – a carrier of dengue and Chikungunya fever.

The mosquito recognisable for it black and white striped legs has been spotted twice in Malta in 2009 in a cistern in Mellieha and twice in a residential area in Marsaskala. So far no diseases related to the mosquito have been reported and no other sightings of the mosquito were recorded.