THE list of possible threats you might expect to come across on your summer holiday to Europe has, until now, been rather short. Beyond expected airport delays, eating your body weight in carbs and getting a bit sunburnt - there isn't usually too much to worry about. But as temperatures rise in our favourite holiday destinations, there may be a new - and buzzier - risk on the horizon.
A range of disease-ridden insects have made their way to north Europe, from places like Africa, Asia and Central and South America. Three different types of disease-riddled mosquito, three types of infection-prone ticks and one nasty fly species are 'established' in several European countries, according to the most recent annual report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Prof Francois Balloux of the University College of London Genetics Institute warns we're likely to see more of these infections in parts of Europe as the climate becomes "more suitable".
"Many of these insect species prefer warm and humid weather," he explains. "Their larvae develop faster in warmer temperatures and a longer breeding season allowing larger populations to develop". The ECDC track the spread of different species of bugs that carry can carry and transmit a number different of viruses to humans.
These include dengue and Zika - which can cause a range of symptoms such as fevers and muscle aches, and in the worst cases make people extremely ill. Most read in Health When an insect is 'esta.