The diseases transmitted by mosquitoes in France, particularly by the tiger mosquito, include dengue, chikungunya, and Zika.
Currently, the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is present in approximately 78 départements (administrative regions) in metropolitan France as of June 2024. This mosquito is a vector for several viruses that can cause disease in humans.
These diseases are typically transmitted when a mosquito bites an infected person, contracts the virus, and then subsequently bites another person, transmitting the virus to them.
- Dengue: Dengue fever causes flu-like symptoms, including high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, and rash. In severe cases, it can lead to dengue hemorrhagic fever, which can be life-threatening.
- Chikungunya: Chikungunya fever also causes flu-like symptoms, including fever and severe joint pain. The joint pain can be debilitating and can last for months or even years in some cases.
- Zika: Zika virus infection can cause mild symptoms, such as fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). However, Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects, including microcephaly (a condition in which the baby's head is much smaller than expected).
While autochthonous (locally acquired) cases of these diseases were relatively rare in the past, their frequency is increasing due to the expanding range of the tiger mosquito within France and Europe, and also because of global travel.
