Marion Koopmans about Dengue on NOS Met het Oog op Morgen

One Health PACT coordinator Marion Koopmans was interviewed by the Dutch radio NPO Radio 1 on August 14, 2024 about the One Health PACT research. 

More and more Dutch travelers are bringing dengue back from their vacations. Virologist Marion Koopmans believes we need to pay more attention to viruses spread by mosquitoes. She is a guest on the show NOS Met het Oog op Morgen.

Tiger Mosquito

“It’s a viral infection that you get from a mosquito bite. Most people don’t notice anything, but some people get very sick. They suffer from joint pain, hence the term ‘breakbone fever’,” explains Koopmans.

Dengue is transmitted by mosquitoes like the Asian tiger mosquito. As a result, the virus cannot yet spread in the Netherlands, says Koopmans: “Because tiger mosquitoes don’t survive well in the Netherlands. However, they are spreading; they are already endemic in Belgium, so it seems to be only a matter of time before the tiger mosquito becomes common here as well. But for now, there’s virtually no risk of infection.”

Mosquito Infection Radar

This year, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has started fighting the Asian tiger mosquito in a record number of locations. Last year, the NVWA found tiger mosquitoes in 37 places and mainly focuses on combating mosquito larvae. The mosquito prefers stagnant water in containers like pots and buckets. In some cases, pesticides are used.

However, many people get bitten by this mosquito while on vacation in Southern Europe or South America. Therefore, general warnings are not very effective, says Koopmans. “That’s why we are currently developing a sort of mosquito infection radar, which will indicate locally where certain viruses are more prevalent. This way, people can better protect themselves at the time by using repellent and wearing better clothing.”

Watch the full interview here (in Dutch).