[Exotic mosquito species in the Netherlands]

Since 2005, in a growing number of Dutch municipalities, increasing numbers of six exotic mosquito species have been reported. To prevent incursions, the Government has introduced policies that so far have not alleviated the problem. Populations of the Asian bush mosquito in Flevoland, Urk and parts of southern Limburg are now firmly established. The Government considers the risk of disease transmission by these exotic species as 'negligibly small'. Nevertheless, in 2020, seven citizens in Utrecht and Arnhem got infected with the West Nile virus, transmitted by endemic mosquitoes. How concerning are these developments, and should Dutch doctors be prepared to manage exotic diseases in affected patients?We conclude that large-scale operations with a focus on elimination rather than control of exotic mosquitoes are warranted, that policies should be improved and strictly adhered to, and more transparency by the Government is needed to prevent these problems from spiralling out of control.