In 2005, two viral outbreaks underscored the importance of mosquito control in tropical regions: in April, the chikungunya virus struck for the first time on Réunion Island, and in July, a major dengue outbreak began in Martinique and Guadeloupe. In both cases, the vector is a mosquito of the genus Aedes, which is very common in intertropical zones. Dengue and chikungunya are mild in the vast majority of cases, but severe forms of dengue do exist. However, there is neither a treatment nor a vaccine; the only means of prevention is mosquito control. (Introduction)