Students from the University of Lodz will investigate what viruses are transmitted by mosquitoes present in cities.

Developing a strategy for monitoring mosquitoes as virus vectors is the goal of research conducted by students from the Biology Student Research Group at the University of Lodz. Insects collected in Lodz, Warsaw, Wroclaw, and Krakow are being examined for the presence of viruses and genetic diversity.

Mosquitoes can transmit dangerous pathogens, such as West Nile virus, dengue fever, Zika virus, and malaria parasites. The diseases they cause are perceived as exotic by Poles, but experts say this may change sooner than we think.

"A local case of West Nile virus (WNV) has already been confirmed in Poland. Although the epidemiological risk is still considered low, increasing human mobility and climate change could quickly change this," Kamil Słomczyński, a biology student and entomology enthusiast who is co-coordinator of the project financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, told PAP.

A team of several dozen people, coordinated by Kamil Słomczyński and Jarosław Brodecki from the University of Lodz Biology Student Research Group, is collecting material for research in parks, allotment gardens, and even zoos in Lodz, Warsaw, Wroclaw, and Krakow. Mosquitoes are caught in special traps and then transported to university laboratories.

As Słomczyński explained, research conducted in Poland to date has provided only fragmentary and local data. The University of Lodz students aimed to develop a broader strategy for monitoring mosquitoes as virus vectors in urban ecosystems. Identifying the species of these insects currently present in our country is also crucial.

There are over 50 species of mosquitoes in Poland. Słomczyński noted that in the animal world, species diversity varies over time and space, but while these changes are very slow in nature, the situation changes when humans intervene.

This is the reason why Aedes japonicus, also known as the Japanese mosquito, has recently joined the ranks of our mosquitoes. An invasive species from Asia that likely arrived in Europe with tire shipments. Our climate is increasingly conducive to the settlement of such newcomers, and with them, the risk of transmitting new diseases increases.

Malaria is transmitted exclusively by mosquitoes of the Anopheles genus. Genetic studies have shown that Anopheles maculipennis sl, the mosquito responsible for the spread of the disease in Africa, also occurs in Poland.

"We've already had cases of endemic airport malaria, which showed that infection with this disease in Poland is somewhat possible. I'm not a doctor, but from my perspective, if we have species in our area that can transmit the disease—and the disease itself—there's a risk of a local epidemic. Our research aims to create a methodological framework that—through mosquito monitoring—would allow for early detection of this threat," added the project coordinator.

At the same time, the researcher rejects the idea of completely eradicating mosquitoes, as they are part of the ecosystem, providing food for birds, bats, and amphibians, among other things. In his opinion, the mass chemical spraying used in some cities has a major drawback: it kills not only mosquitoes but also beneficial insects, including pollinators, which play a crucial role in the natural environment and in agriculture.

"I believe—and I'm not alone in this—that the best way to control mosquito populations is to maintain biodiversity. In natural ecosystems, mosquitoes have many natural enemies—birds and bats prey on them, and when it comes to larvae, they are eaten by amphibians and fish. And what are we doing? We're destroying forests and covering everything with concrete. There's a lack of space and habitat for these organisms, which could potentially feed on mosquitoes and regulate their population," Słomczyński emphasized.

The collection of material for analysis, i.e., catching mosquitoes in urban ecosystems, is expected to end in mid-September, and the final results of the study should be available next spring. Researchers are concerned about only one thing...

"We're probably the only group of people in Poland who complain about the low mosquito count. While there were definitely more mosquitoes after the last rainy week, there were still significantly fewer than in previous seasons. However, this is a reliable result that can be analyzed. It's also worth emphasizing that this is the first study of this type conducted in Poland on such a large scale," Słomczyński noted.

The project of Łódź biologists is financed from the state budget, allocated by the Minister of Science and Higher Education under the "Student Science Clubs Create Innovations" program. (PAP)

Science in Poland, Agnieszka Grzelak-Michałowska

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