Dengue larvae discovery suggests S. Korea not safe from tropical diseases

(ATTN: ADDS quotes from experts)
SEOUL, Feb. 8 (Yonhap) -- A group of South Korean scientists claimed Monday to
have discovered larvae of the Asian tiger mosquito, a carrier of dengue fever
virus, on the South Korean southern island of Jeju, suggesting the country is no
longer safe from the life-threatening tropical disease.
The team, led by Lee Keun-hwa, a professor at Jeju National University, found the
mosquito's larvae on the island in December following its collection of a
specimen in the island's Seoguipo in the previous year, it said.
"We have reported our findings to the Korea Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (KCDC)," Lee said, adding he introduced the team's discovery at a
recent forum on climate change in Jeju.
Dengue, which affects about tens of millions of people every year worldwide, is a
flu-like viral disease spread through the bite of an infected mosquito.
The virus causes a fever along with a rash, headache, muscle pain and a decrease
in white blood cells and platelets. Secondary infection of the virus can lead to
dengue hemorrhagic fever, which can cause shock reaction leading to death.
The team's discovery raises the possibility that South Korea is no longer a safe
zone of tropical endemic diseases. Dengue fever is a disease typical to tropical
regions and the discovery suggests the Korean Peninsula is turning into a
subtropical zone as a result of global warming.
While the fatal disease swept the Asia-Pacific region between 1991 to 1994,
infecting 350,000 people, no infection of the disease had been reported on the
Korean Peninsula. About 60 to 70 local patients are believed to have been
infected with it while traveling in the Southeast Asian region every year.
Asia tiger mosquitoes are known to be fertile only when temperature rises over
14.5 C, and most fertile in a climate of over 20 C with annual rainfall of over
150 millimeters. But the scientists suspect the recent discovery of its larva in
winter time strengthens their belief the mosquitoes might be settling on the
island.
Some experts do not rule out the possibility that dengue virus might has already
broken out undetected on Jeju Island.
Lee said, "Waterborne epidemic and subtropical diseases could be a serious
problem on Jeju Island before anywhere else in the Korean Peninsula as the
island's climate is changing to a subtropical one faster than any other region on
the peninsula," calling for the establishment of an institute to research
subtropical diseases."
Seong Seung-yong, a professor at Seoul National University, proposed that the
government conduct long-term investigation and surveillance on the disease,
saying that "the discovery of the larvae shows the Korean Peninsula is no longer
a safe zone free of tropical diseases such as malaria and dengue fever."
The discovery has prompted the KCDC to watch over a possible outbreak of tropical
disease in the Jeju region by operating a surveillance center for climate
changing factors, starting this month.
minsikyoon@yna.co.kr
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