MEMO - Monitoring Exotic Mosquitoes

The terms of reference for this project include the following objectives:
(1) Implementation of the Active Monitoring Plan for exotic mosquitoes throughout Belgium;
(2) Detection, identification, evaluation and monitoring of sample collection points to be adapted, including on the basis of existing passive monitoring data, experience gained and/or other relevant epidemiological or ecological information;
(3) Possible extension of the basic plan to include additional actions, depending on the findings of the basic plan; and
(4) Processing of the collected samples, identification, collection and reporting of all collected relevant stages of mosquito species and establishment of a reference collection.

The project takes three years. At the end of the project, the implemented monitoring plan should be thoroughly evaluated on the basis of experience gained. In addition, the service provider should make recommendations for a future Belgian long-term exotic mosquito monitoring plan (preferably including a prediction model based on the Points of Entry and the ecological profile of the species, possibly also taking into account climate scenarios for our country) and how this can best and most efficiently be organised, after consultation and discussion with the steering committee and the director. Other practical and policy recommendations are also recommended.