After four people, who are believed to have been bitten by mosquitoes, developed swelling of the brain last year, scientists will study mosquitoes in the Sea-to-Sky corridor and the diseases they carry.
Dr. Rohit Vijh is a Medical Health Officer with Vancouver Coastal Health and explains that climate change could be a contributing factor.
“The emergence of these mosquito-borne viruses and illness is a reflection of climate change,” Vijh explained.
“Our warming climate results in more mosquitoes being able to breed for longer periods of time.”
He says that it was unusual that four people acquired the infections in one season.
“We had only ever seen about three cases since 2009; this was the first time we had information that a potentially new emerging pathogen was circulating within the area.”
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The four people affected experienced swelling of the brain, but all recovered.
“In the fall, we had a small cluster of cases reported to us where they had all presented with severe neurological symptoms in the form of encephalitis or swelling of the brain,” Vijh explains.
He hopes that the study’s findings will help health authorities to better understand the risks that come with mosquito bites and how to properly educate the public about those risks.
The study is being conducted by Vancouver Coastal Health and the BC Center for Disease Control.
It will take three months to complete, and it will be centred along the Sea-to-Sky corridor.
