The Korean mosquito , scientific name Aedes koreicus , has arrived in Italy: its presence has been confirmed in Veneto, Trentino Alto Adige and Lombardy.In this article I will explain how to recognize it, what its characteristics are and why it can be dangerous.
Origins of the Korean Mosquito
As you can guess from its name, Aedes koreicus is an insect native to Korea, particularly South Korea. The first specimens then spread rapidly to China, Japan and some areas of the former Soviet Union (source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4739402/ ).
Spread of the Korean mosquito in Italy
The Korean mosquito was identified for the first time in Italy in 2011, in Sospirolo, a municipality in the Veneto region, during a monitoring activity of the tiger mosquito ( Aedes albopictus) .
It is likely that the first specimens arrived in Italy transported by plane together with exotic plants imported from the East.
Since October 2021, the Korean mosquito has been spreading rapidly in Northern Italy, creating some alarm.
Characteristics of the Korean mosquito
The Korean mosquito has an average length of 7-10 mm, slightly longer than the tiger mosquito which has a variable size between 5 and 8 mm.
Like the tiger mosquito, it has white stripes on its legs but unlike the tiger mosquito, it has yellow stripes instead of white on the back of its head.
In this aspect it is more similar to the Aeses Japonica, also having yellow streaks behind the head but of a different shape.
However, these are details that are difficult to distinguish due to the relatively small size of the insect.
Among the characteristics that make it insidious are the fact that it is also active during the day and that it resists the winter temperatures of our country , making it possible for it to spread even outside the summer months.
Why Korean Mosquitoes Can Be Dangerous
The Korean mosquito , like the tiger mosquito, can be a carrier of serious diseases dangerous for humans such as Japanese encephalitis (JEV virus) and filariasis .
Some diseases such as heartworm disease caused by the pathogen Dirofilaria immitis can also be transmitted to pets, such as dogs.
Lymphatic filariasis can lead to terrible consequences such as elephantiasis, which particularly affects the lower limbs.
The fact that it can withstand the cold makes it more dangerous than the tiger mosquito which cannot tolerate low temperatures.
Habitat of the Korean mosquito, where it breeds
The habitat of the Korean mosquito is very similar to that of other mosquitoes: this insect reproduces in the presence of stagnant water and therefore in places such as flower pots, puddles, drains, objects and waste of various types left outdoors so as to create stagnant water (tires and other plastic objects).
What to do against the Korean mosquito
On our part, the only thing to do against the Korean mosquito is to not create conditions that could favor its reproduction , starting from emptying the saucers and adequately disposing of waste.
It will be up to scholars and researchers to identify scientific countermeasures to limit its spread as much as possible.
Korean mosquito bite
The bite of the Korean mosquito is not distinguishable from that of other mosquitoes in terms of pain or skin manifestations . It is the pathogens potentially transmitted by the bite that are dangerous.
Korean Mosquito Bite Symptoms
Referring to symptoms to identify a Korean mosquito bite is meaningless.
The bite of the Korean mosquito has a short-term effect that is similar to the itching caused by the bite of other common mosquitoes, with possible swelling of the skin area surrounding the bite.
Instead, you can identify the symptoms of diseases that can be transmitted. For example, the symptoms of lymphatic filariasis consist of: fever, swollen lymph nodes, pain in the limbs and groin , up to the disfiguring swelling documented in the image we presented above.
If these symptoms occur, filariasis infection can be diagnosed with certainty through a routine blood test, which checks for the presence of microfilariae (worm larvae) in the body.
At that point our doctor may prescribe a treatment based on diethylcarbamazine, a drug that kills the larvae present in the blood and some of the adult worms.