Today's Close-Up S2024E12 - Emerging Threats: Super-Resistant Mosquitoes and Dengue Fever

Japan is entering its "mosquito season." Besides causing itchiness, mosquitoes could now also pose a more serious threat in Japan as well. Researchers have discovered in Southeast Asia so-called "super-resistant mosquitoes" that require one thousand times the usual amount of insecticide to be killed, and evidence shows that some have already entered Japan. Furthermore, worldwide infections with dengue fever — a mosquito-borne disease that can cause severe symptoms and even death in some cases — have already surpassed last year's record high. Now that COVID infections have subsided to a degree and human activity such as tourism is recovering, the probability of infection via mosquitoes is increasing. We look at tips on how to protect ourselves from mosquitoes and introduce some "outside-the-box" technology to repel them.

Guest:
Kasai Shinji (Director, Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases)