Review of ten-years presence of Aedes albopictus in Spain 2004–2014: known distribution and public health concerns

Ten years have gone by since the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus was recorded for the first time in Spain. In this paper, all relevant published information about this vector in Spain for the period 2004-2014 is reviewed. The known distribution for 2014 is provided, including all historical records (published and unpublished data) and the results from samplings of the last year. The consequences on public health about the presence of the Asian tiger mosquito in Spain are also highlighted. Further, legal aspects and control plans related to the management and diseases transmitted by this invasive vector species are also discussed. Part of the samplings are supported by the contract “Entomological surveillance at airports and ports against imported vectors of exotic infectious diseases and surveillance of potential indigenous vectors of such diseases”, funding by the Spanish Ministery of Health, Social Services and Equality, and the project “The tiger mosquito invasion in Spain: A public health risk caused by global change”, funding by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. The Generalitat de Catalunya has provided their unpublished sampling data from 2011 to 2014, what was indispensable to complete the known distribution. The Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias is involved in the entomological surveillance of airports and harbours of Canary Islands and the regional administration (Consejería de Sanidad) supports, in part, this work. The companies Compañía de Tratamientos de Levante S.L., Rafaela Belmonte Nortes and Campos Serrano Biólogos have collaborated in the samplings of 2014 in the Spanish Mediterranean side, exclusive Catalonia. The data of the project Atrapaeltigre.com has significantly helped to find some possible new localities for Ae. albopictus located far way from the known range. Sí