156 - Developing a vector monitoring in Berlin, Germany

Abstract: Aedes albopictus was repeatedly found in a garden colony in one district of the city in 2021 and in 2022. The city administration asked the Health authority of Central Berlin to start a vector monitoring programme with a special focus on the "tiger mosquito". The Health authority opened an email contact point, provides consultations for citizens and runs a pilot project on vector monitoring in all twelve districts of the city.

Citizens are reporting on seen mosquitoes, send samples for identification and the Health authority performs an active search in selected areas of the city using BG-Pro traps without light, with Mozzibait and CO2 as attractants. The identification of found mosquitoes and the evaluation is performed using the Vectech´s  artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic entomology system (IDx).

The campaign gained interest of the public, even on the federal level. Culex pipiens and Aedes vexans are the most common mosquito species reported by the citizens. After an email report from a citizen, one Ae. albopictus was actively found and thus its presence was confirmed in the Neukoelln district.

Involving the public seems to be a good opening measure for a vector monitoring programme. Ae. albopictus is present in the city of Berlin, Germany, but more research is needed to confirm which mosquito species are established, what are the exact locations and the public health risk. Using an AI solution saved money for hiring an own entomologist and made the development of a monitoring programme much easier.

A higher proportion of Ae. vexans in our database from citizens´reports could be a bias due to some similarity with Ae.albopictus and an interest of the public to "find the tiger mosquito", which results in frequent reporting to the Health authority.