Chikungunya Virus Spreads North

An Asian mosquito, an African virus and global warming are contributing to a new threat of epidemic in Europe and North America, according to scientists quoted by Newsday.

The Chikungunya virus, which is endemic to Africa and parts of Asia, has mutated and now is carried by a new kind of mosquito, the Asian tiger mosquito. That mosquito, which is present in Europe and North America and will benefit as climate change warms the mid latitudes, is responsible for recent epidemic that killed 240 on Reunion Island and left more than one in three people debilitated throughout parts of Africa, Asia and, last year, Italy.

The virus has severe symptoms, including fatigue, fever and sometimes prolonged joint pain.

The recent findings about the virus highlight several important issues related to conservation medicine, the study of the intersection between the environment and human health. The virus is primarily a wildlife disease that is spread by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes breed in warm weather, meaning that as global warming increases temperatures, they can increase their range. Further, the mosquitoes spreading the disease aren't native to Europe and North America, so they represent another invasive species that has the potential to cause serious problems.

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