TERRA launches new infographic on mosquito vectors and emerging risks in Portugal
With the increase in indigenous cases of dengue fever in Europe and the worsening of climate change, TERRA is launching a new infographic that warns of the risks associated with mosquito vectors in Portugal, authored by Hugo Costa Osório (ISAMB/TERRA).
The TERRA Associate Laboratory has just launched a new infographic dedicated to mosquito vectors — insects capable of transmitting pathogens such as viruses and parasites between humans or between animals and humans. These vectors are the source of diseases such as dengue, Zika, malaria, and West Nile virus, and are responsible for around 700,000 deaths per year worldwide.
With the worsening of climate change, the mosquito season has been getting longer, increasing the risk of transmission. In 2024, Europe saw an increase in autochthonous cases of dengue fever, i.e., infections contracted locally, without the need to travel to endemic areas. In Portugal, too, some regions present a moderate entomological risk, with environmental conditions favorable to the presence of mosquito vectors.
The infographic, created by Hugo Costa Osório, researcher at the Instituto de Saúde Ambiental (ISAMB) and member of TERRA, clearly and visually presents:
• The main diseases transmitted by mosquito vectors
• The most relevant species in Portugal
• The distribution and degree of risk in the national territory
• Prevention and control strategies
It also includes a detailed explanation of REVIVE – Programa Nacional de Vigilância de Vetores (the National Vector Surveillance Program), coordinated by the Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, under the Ministry of Health. The infographic describes how the surveillance system works and highlights the technologies and innovations involved that enable a rapid, effective, and geographically informed response to emerging threats.
The infographic also provides a QR Code to download the Mosquito Alert app, a citizen science platform that allows citizens to report the presence of mosquitoes and contribute to entomological surveillance.
See full infographic: labterra.pt/infografia-mosquitos-vetores-de-doencas-risco-vigilancia-e-prevencao(in Portuguese)
This new infographic is part of TERRA’s ongoing effort to communicate science with impact and support the formulation of informed public policies. In June this year, researcher Hugo Costa Osório published a critical reflection on the ethical, ecological, and scientific implications of using advanced technologies to control vectors such as mosquitoes on the TERRA website — read the commentary here. In December 2024, TERRA researchers warned of the risks posed by invasive mosquitoes, such as Aedes albopictus, highlighting the causes of their introduction in Portugal, the dangers to public health, and the role of science in managing their presence — review the news here (in Portuguese).
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