Some members of the E4Warning team attended the 23rd ESOVE Conference (European Society for Vector Ecology), held from October 14-17, 2024, in Montpellier, France. This edition was organized by the Vectopole Sud network, which includes research partners from the Occitanie region: Cirad, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, University of Montpellier, Toulouse Veterinary School, and EID Méditerranée, the main public vector control operator in France.

Catuxa Cerecedo (CEAB-CSIC) presented her talk titled “Integrating citizen and authoritative surveillance data in mosquito distribution models,” a study framed within the E4Warning project on the Session Surveillance systems, community-based surveillance and management of VBDs. Her research explores how to integrate mosquito observations collected by citizens using the Mosquito Alert tool with mosquito counts from traditional traps and assesses whether this integration improves habitat suitability models for mosquito species or provides additional insights into mosquito abundances. Exploring the integration of various data sources to model vector dynamics and abundance is one of the project’s key objectives.

The conference also featured presentations from other groups outside the consortium using data collected through Mosquito Alert, as well as studies testing the effectiveness of Vectrack smart traps developed by the partner IRIDEON.

We are thrilled to announce that the E4Warning project will be participating in an upcoming webinar on May 21st, 2024, at 11 AM CET entitled: Citizen Science in Environmental Observations and Health Research.  This webinar will explore innovative engagement strategies within Citizen Science initiatives and the impactful use of Mobile Applications, in collaboration with the OneAquaHealth project and Wise Angle Consulting S.L.

During this session, we will exchange experiences and insights on successful citizen engagement techniques. The first segment of the webinar will highlight citizen science approaches, featuring presentations from OneAquaHealth, DRYvER, and our very own E4WARNING project. We will delve into our collective experiences involving citizens, and the results obtained in Europe.

In the latter half of the webinar, we will concentrate on mobile apps as digitial solution, where the creators of Pharaon and Invasoras.pt Apps will offer a deep dive into the common challenges encountered while promoting these apps and designing them with a user-centric approach.

We are excited to share our journey and learn from our peers in this collaborative setting. Join us as we discuss, learn, and pave the way forward in the integration of community-driven science and technology for the betterment of environmental and health research.

Don’t wait and register here: https://www.oneaquahealth.eu/oneaquahealth-citizen-science-webinar-2024/

The Mosquito Alert tool, which is used in the E4Warning project and was developed by several consortium partners, has received international recognition at the WSA 2023. This award is given to digital solutions that contribute significantly to creating healthier, more sustainable, and inclusive urban environments.

The WSA awards, which were established within the framework of the United Nations World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS), aim to identify and promote digital innovations that positively impact society and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Out of 466 submissions from 88 countries, Mosquito Alert has been selected as one of the top 40 digital initiatives across eight different categories. This achievement highlights the effectiveness and relevance of the platform in addressing critical issues related to public health and environmental sustainability.

As part of this honor, the Mosquito Alert team will be joining other winners at the WSA World Congress 2024, which is scheduled from April 14 to 17 in the Chilean Patagonia. This event offers invaluable opportunities for networking, mentorship, and collaboration, further amplifying the impact of each project’s technological solutions on a global scale.

Mosquito Alert

Mosquito Surveillance through Citizen Engagement

Mosquito Alert is an initiative that engages the public in monitoring vector mosquitoes and studying the spread of invasive mosquito species. It is a “citizen observatory” coordinated by Spanish research institutions, including CSIC, UPF, and CREAF. This groundbreaking program aims to transform the traditional methods of mosquito surveillance by promoting citizen participation and the adoption of new technologies.

Mosquito Alert is supported by an extensive network of entomology and public health experts. It demonstrates the power of collaboration in addressing global health challenges. By empowering communities and leveraging cutting-edge technologies, the platform not only revolutionizes disease surveillance but also drives innovation in the management and prevention of mosquito-borne illnesses.

The Mosquito Alert platform plays a pivotal role in Work Package 2 (WP2) of the E4Warning project. WP2’s primary objective is to enhance the accuracy of AI-based mosquito image classification, thereby enabling the development of a real-time early warning system that can identify invasive species across multiple study sites of the E4Warning project. The proposed real-time early warning system will enable effective identification and monitoring of invasive mosquito species across different geographies, thereby bolstering the E4Warning project’s broader research efforts in this domain.