Aedes albopictus suppression to end two dengue outbreaks in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) in 2024

In the summer 2024, two Dengue serotype 2 outbreaks occurred in the Emilia-Romagna region, one in the municipality of Cavezzo (7,200 inhabitants) involving 44 cases, and the other in the municipality of Albinea (8,890 inhabitants) involving 2 cases. In both contexts Aedes albopictus control measures as indicated by the Regional Plan for the Surveillance and Control of Arboviruses were promptly activated including public communication (door-to-door informative leaflets about the activities, municipal ordinance, on-line and paper news), silicone-based larvicidal and adulticidal (pyrethroids) treatments both in public and in private areas (door-to-door with breeding sites removal) in the territorial sectors into which the total urban areas were divided. Additionally, BG-Sentinel traps baited with BG-lure and ovitraps were deployed for adult and eggs collection useful to collect data about presence and trend of the mosquito population, presence of dengue virus in the sample collected and data of the efficacy after treatments. The synergy between pest control operators, entomologists, public health, citizens, and the local administration was fundamental for the rapid containment of the outbreaks and elimination of the disease in the two municipalities.