A new challenge for hospitals in southeast France: monitoring local populations of Aedes albopictus to prevent nosocomial transmission of dengue or chikungunya.

Aedes albopictus was first identified in southern France in 2004, inducing an emerging risk for autochthonous transmission around imported cases of dengue or chikungunya, and also for mosquito-borne nosocomial transmission in hospitals. Aedes albopictus has been present in Marseille since September 2009 and in Aix-en-Provence since August 2010. Because of the possible admission of viremic patients with dengue or chikungunya in the hospitals of these cities, a mosquito survey was conducted in 2011 in 2 of the hospitals, with the use of mosquito traps. Aedes albopictus was detected with Eisenhans II traps and egg traps in both hospitals during the warm season.