Page 21 - Volume 5, Issue 2, July 2012

© Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Giatropoulos et al. 50
Dengue in France (2010) and Croatia (2010)
and Chikungunya virus in Italy (2007) and
France (2010) justify the awareness of Ae. al-
bopictus related potential risk for introduc-
tion and spread of serious diseases in conti-
nental Europe (11, 12, 17, 19).
The presence of Ae. albopictus in the cap-
ital of Greece, Athens, was confirmed for the
first time in 2008 from mosquito specimens
originated from the Rizoupoli area in Mu-
nicipality of Athens (16). After the media an-
nouncement on finding this invasive mos-
quito in Athens, and the description of its
medical importance, the public awareness
in Greece was raised resulting in more than
100 specimens of “tiger-like” adult mosqui-
toes, which have been sent to Benaki Phyto-
pathological Institute (BPI) for identification
within the following three years (2009-
2011). Most of these specimens were sent to
BPI by civilians, pest control companies or
official authorities with the note for “aggres-
sive day-time biting mosquitoes”.
The majority of the specimens were mos-
quitoes of subgenus Stegomyia (Diptera: Cu-
licidae) although other mosquito species or
mosquito resembling dipterous insects (e.g.
Tipulidae, Chironomidae) were also record-
ed. Mosquito species identification was per-
formed using appropriate dichotomous keys
(6, 20). Most mosquito samples were identi-
fied as Ae. albopictus , whereas some of them
belonged to the indigenous Aedes (Stegomy-
ia) cretinus. This species is closely related to
Ae. albopictus and has a limited distribution
across theworld (Greece, Cyprus, Georgia and
Turkey) (2, 7). In Greece, it has been reported
to exist in Crete, Macedonia and some parts
of Attica (21). Aedes cretinus is described as an
aggressive day-time biting mosquito causing
considerable irritation to humans (7, 21). It is
a container-breeding mosquito but little ap-
pears to be known about its biology (2).
For all the specimens an official answer
was produced by the BPI experts or advisory
services via telephone communication were
provided, including a synopsis of the biolo-
gy of the identified species, medical impor-
tance and appropriate protection measures
especially for Ae. albopictus.
Herein, we review the results of records
of Ae. albopictus and Ae. cretinus in Greece
based on samples sent to BPI during a 3-year
period (2009-2011). The results were record-
ed on maps referring to the specimen in-
cidence and the origin sites for both Ste-
gomyia species in chronological order for
Attica Prefecture and in the rest Prefectures
of Greece, indicating the first records. The
administrative units, either municipalities of
Attica or Prefectures of Greece, where sam-
ples came from, were color marked in the
aforementioned maps, even in case of single
mosquito specimens. We consider that infor-
mation about the presence of Stegomyia, es-
pecially for Ae. albopictus, although limited,
is very important for the committees of Mu-
nicipalities and Prefectures, which aremainly
responsible for the regional mosquito man-
agement programs in Greece. In Figure 1 the
first specimen of Ae. albopictus in 2008 is also
presented and mentioned as “first point”.
In a total of 76 Stegomyia specimens, 71
were in good condition for identification
and had been sent from 35 Municipalities
of the Attica Prefecture (including Munici-
pality of Athens). During the 3-years period,
Ae. albopictus was found in 24 Municipali-
ties, which are located mainly in central and
south-east part of Attica. Aedes cretinus adults
were collected from 15 Municipalities locat-
ed primarily in central and northern areas of
Attica, while in 4 cases (localities) both Ste-
gomyia species were present. Overall, Ae. al-
bopictus was recorded from 7 Municipalities
in 2009, 11 in 2010 and 13 in 2011. According
to Figure 1, its presence was recorded for the
first time in 6, 8 and 9 different Municipalities
in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011, respective-
ly. Accordingly, Ae. cretinus specimens were
sent in a total of 12 Municipalities in 2009, 8
in 2010 and only 2 in 2011, while first reports
of this species were declining (11 in 2009, 3 in
2010 and only 1 in 2011) (Figure 2).
With regards to the rest of Greece, a to-
tal of 35 Stegomyia specimens were collect-
ed from 15 out of 52 Prefectures, during the
3-years period, mostly fromsouthern Greece
(Peloponnese and Crete) and the northern
parts of the country (Macedonia). Overall,