First record of Aedes albopictus in the department of Magdalena, North of Colombia: implications for arboviral disease transmission

Aedes albopictus is widely distributed throughout the world. It was introduced into the Americas in 1985 and is considered a vector for arboviruses such as dengue. The species has been reported in fifteen departments of the country. With this brief communication, we aim to report the finding of Ae. albopictus in five municipalities in the department of Magdalena. Between June and November 2025, adult mosquitoes were collected and breeding sites were inspected in the five municipalities. Both the collected adults and larvae were identified at the entomology unit of the Public Health Laboratory of the Department of Magdalena and confirmed by the entomology laboratory of the National Institute of Health. Larvae and adults of Ae. albopictus were found in all five municipalities. The detection of Ae. albopictus in five municipalities in the department of Magdalena highlights the importance of strengthening continuous entomological surveillance strategies at the municipal and departmental levels in the country, especially in Magdalena and the surrounding municipalities.