Working Group 2: Conventional & Innovative Control Tools
Task 2.1 – Review, optimisation of current control options. The control of AIMs where there is a risk of EAIMBV outbreaks (when, for example, an infected human imported case is reported to health authorities) consists of focal spraying of adulticide insecticides. Preventive larval control interventions based on habitat management campaigns to reduce availability of potential larval habitats and/or treatment of non-removable breeding sites (such as rain catch basins) are strongly recommended to reduce abundance of AIMS and related nuisance, but are rarely effectively implemented by public administrations. Private citizens are also investing considerable resources to reduce the nuisance using focal insecticide treatments and/or spatial/personal repellents and trapping devices whose effectiveness is rarely assessed. The main focuses of this task are exchanges of information and knowledge and provision of recommendations for optimising at the Pan-European level methodologies to control AIM, for each species/geographical context. The practicality and efficiency of current control methods and the trends were systematically reviewed, based on country level case specific examples. A critical prospective analysis for the intelligent use of public health pesticides in future decades taking into account the risk of insurgence and spread of insecticide resistance were discussed in the frame of current Biocide European directive.
Task 2.2 - Quality evaluation of AIM control operations. Mosquito control operations are conducted by public or private agencies, depending on the specific country regulation and local situations. As these operations are usually publicly funded, they should be conducted with maximum transparency and quality control and external independent evaluation. Quality evaluation in mosquito control is largely unattended in Europe and thus strongly required in parallel with mosquito control operations. Preliminary experience developed in some countries were gathered and analysed to asses cost-benefit, and protocols for quality evaluation in different settings were developed alongside provision of training for technicians.
Task 2.3 - Innovative vector control tools/New Paradigms. A limited number of mosquito larvicides (e.g. bacterial toxins and insect growth regulators, IGRs) and adulticides (e.g. pyrethroids) are presently available to control AIM and alternative efficient control solutions with low environmental impact are still lacking. Alternative innovative methods for the control of mosquito vectors of arboviruses - such as Wolbachia infections, paratransgenesis, Attractive Toxic Sugar Baits, mass-trapping, auto-dissemination, innovative sterile male releases and transgenic approaches - are under development aiming in most cases at a niche role rather than becoming the default intervention across a wide range of settings. Successful demonstration of cost-effectiveness of novel interventions in certain settings in CCs/NCCs is required to facilitate registration processes, policy endorsement, and expansion-scale up strategies also in other places. Knowledge base acceptance of novel approaches to the target populations is particularly relevant in case of possible implementation of biotechnology-based approaches and transgenic technologies. Novel control approaches were compared with current methods and gaps in deployment of alternative AIM control tools were identified. Strengths and weaknesses of each method, for a range of settings and geographical contexts, were assessed in terms of efficiency, environmental, operational and ethical constraints, by assessing specific use cases, and by literature reviews. Conditions/sites where such alternative methods could be deployed were identified and recommended. Network members also provided guidance to the implementation and cost-effectiveness analysis of possible local pilot trials of novel control interventions supported by external funds and to the approaches to be implemented to raise public awareness of vector control options in order to stimulate evidence-based decisions and informed consensus.
Working Group 2: Participant List
| Name | Category/Position | Work in |
| Alessandra Della Torre | MC Chair | Italy |
| Ana Klobucar | MC Member | Croatia |
| Enrih Merdic | MC Member | Croatia |
| Angeliki Martinou | MC Member | Cyprus |
| Kamil Erguler | MC Member | Cyprus |
| Aleksandar Cvetkovikj | MC Member | fYR Macedonia |
| Nikolina Sokolovska | MC Member | fYR Macedonia |
| Antonios Michaelakis | MC Member | Greece |
| Sandra Gewehr | MC Member | Greece |
| Laor Orshan | MC Member | Israel |
| Nebojsa Sekulic | MC Member | Montenegro |
| Jordi Figuerola | MC Member | Spain |
| Francis Schaffner | MC Member | Switzerland |
| Anna-Bella Failloux | MC Substitute | France |
| Thierry Baldet | MC Substitute | France |
| Vincent Robert | MC Substitute | France |
| Nikolaos Papadopoulos | MC Substitute | Greece |
| Anastasios Saratsis | MC Substitute | Greece |
| Carla Alexandra Sousa | MC Substitute | Portugal |
| Rubén Bueno | MC Substitute | Spain |
| Ann-Christin Honnen | MC Substitute | Switzerland |
| Eleonora Flacio | MC Substitute | Switzerland |
| Pie Müller | MC Substitute | Switzerland |
| Jean-Philippe David | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | France |
| Kostas Mathiopoulos | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Greece |
| Alexandros Belavilas-Trovas | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Greece |
| Alberto Baseggio | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Italy |
| Alessandro Di Cosimo | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Italy |
| Aurelio Serrao | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Italy |
| Bruno Arcà | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Italy |
| Daniele Porretta | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Italy |
| Matteo Valzano | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Italy |
| Maurizio Calvitti | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Italy |
| Romeo Bellini | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Italy |
| Riccardo Moretti | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Italy |
| Sara Buezo Montero | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Italy |
| Valentina Mastrantonio | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Italy |
| Andrei Cimpan | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Romania |
| Martina Ferraguti | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Spain |
| Rafael Gutiérrez López | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Spain |
| Laura Vavassori | Other (e.g. observer, etc) | Switzerland |
| Përparim Kadriaj | WG Member [WG1] | Albania |
| David Roiz | WG Member [WG2] | France |
| Grégory L'ambert | WG Member [WG2] | France |
| Clare Strode | MC Substitute | United Kingdom |
To join the working group please contact the Working Group Leaders:
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