Khaberni - As the spread of the "Asian Tiger" mosquito continues in France and expands to include dozens of provinces, health authorities now warn of its potential dangers as a carrier of diseases like dengue fever, Zika, and chikungunya, at a time when residents are looking for natural ways to prevent, especially essential oils.
In recent years, France has seen a broad proliferation of the "Asian Tiger" mosquito, which has become established in about 78 French provinces by 2024, according to the French medical site "Parspour Scentieh."
Although health authorities confirm that the viruses transmitted by this type of mosquito are still not actively widespread in mainland France, the risk remains given its potential to transmit serious diseases.
The French National Agency for Health Safety points out that this mosquito can transmit viruses like dengue fever, Zika, and chikungunya, and is highly adaptable to urban and semi-urban environments, where females breed in any small water accumulations like pots, buckets, water drains, and places where rainwater collects.
The agency explains that the “tiger” mosquito mostly lives in outdoor settings, making it more difficult to control compared to other types of mosquitoes.
In terms of prevention efforts, some essential oils can be used to repel this type of mosquito, notably citriodiol oil, Australian lemon oil known as "lemon eucalyptus," geranium needle oil, and Atlas cedar oil.
However, health authorities in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region warn that the effectiveness of sprays based on essential oils is very short and does not exceed twenty minutes, in addition to the possibility of causing skin irritation, allergies, or increasing skin sensitivity to sunlight, and they may be toxic or unsuitable for certain groups.
Health authorities emphasize the need for caution when using them, especially among adults, and recommend completely avoiding their use in young children or pregnant women.
In addition to personal protection measures, authorities affirm that controlling this mosquito primarily depends on eliminating breeding sites, as a female mosquito can lay hundreds of eggs at a time, and may repeat this several times throughout her life.
Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate standing water in pots and containers after rainfall and to clean up water collection sites around homes, considering that controlling this type of mosquito is a collective responsibility requiring everyone's cooperation.
