Social and environmental risk factors in the emergence of mosquito-borne diseases in urban areas – SERIOUS

Due to sanitary risks associated with the presence of the Asian tiger mosquito Ae. albopictus in recently invaded urban areas, better knowledge is needed to evaluate the social (behavior, practices) and environmental (human impact on the environment) factors as risk factors on the emergence of vector-borne diseases. Indeed, the urban mosaic provides a wide range of water containers suitable for larval development. It was suggested for certain mosquito species that anthropogenic disturbances of the environment can have a direct effet on the physiology of mosquitoes but also an indirect effect by impacting their microbiota. However, it is now admitted that those microorganisms, which are predominantly acquired and influenced by water of breeding sites, play a key role in mosquito biology and their ability to transmit pathogens. By combining in situ observations and experiments in controlled environments, this project aims to assess the combined impact of human practices (via a survey of opinion and practices) and human activities (emission of pollutants) on the proliferation of the Asian tiger mosquito in urban areas. Improving our knowledge of the biotic and abiotic factors involved in the ecology of the tiger mosquito in urban environments could lead to a new reflection for the implementation of recommendations applicable to the inhabitants and to the actors of health and the city in order to create a durable habitat that is poorly favorable to the colonization by this mosquito.