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interpreting mosquito feeding patterns in australia through an ecological lens: an analysis of blood meal studies.mosquito-borne pathogens contribute significantly to the global burden of disease, infecting millions of people each year. mosquito feeding is critical to the transmission dynamics of pathogens, and thus it is important to understanding and interpreting mosquito feeding patterns. in this paper we explore mosquito feeding patterns and their implications for disease ecology through a meta-analysis of published blood meal results collected across australia from more than 12,000 blood meals from 22 ...201930944025
discovery of cocirculating ross river virus and barmah forest virus at wide bay military training area, northeastern australia.an arbovirus surveillance military exercise was conducted to assess the risk of ross river virus (rrv) and barmah forest virus (bfv) in the australian defence force (adf) wide bay training area (wbta), northeastern australia, in april 2018. of the 5,540 female mosquitoes collected, 3,702 were screened for rrv and bfv by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in a field laboratory. one pool of verrallina funerea was positive for rrv and 8 pools (7 pools of aedes vigilax and ...201931647704
dispersal of the mosquito aedes vigilax (diptera: culicidae) from urban estuarine wetlands in sydney, australia.aedes vigilax (skuse) is a pest and vector species associated with coastal wetlands and the abundance of this mosquito has been identified as contributing to increased risk of mosquito-borne disease outbreaks. as urban development continues to encroach on these coastal wetlands, pest and public health impacts are becoming of increasing concern and in the absence of broadscale mosquito control. urban planners are looking to buffer zones and other land use planning options to minimize contact betw ...201931095691
temperature explains broad patterns of ross river virus transmission.thermal biology predicts that vector-borne disease transmission peaks at intermediate temperatures and declines at high and low temperatures. however, thermal optima and limits remain unknown for most vector-borne pathogens. we built a mechanistic model for the thermal response of ross river virus, an important mosquito-borne pathogen in australia, pacific islands, and potentially at risk of emerging worldwide. transmission peaks at moderate temperatures (26.4°c) and declines to zero at thermal ...201830152328
"looking over the backyard fence": householders and mosquito control.(1) background: vector-borne diseases are a significant public health problem in western australia. mosquitoes are responsible for the transmission of a number of pathogens and may pose a serious nuisance problem. prevention efforts in the state are multi-faceted and include physical, chemical, and cultural control methods for restricting mosquito breeding. this is less complex where breeding areas are located within public open spaces. in australia's developed urban areas, breeding sites are, h ...201728257079
seasonal activity, vector relationships and genetic analysis of mosquito-borne stratford virus.there are many gaps to be filled in our understanding of mosquito-borne viruses, their relationships with vectors and reservoir hosts, and the environmental drivers of seasonal activity. stratford virus (strv) belongs to the genus flavivirus and has been isolated from mosquitoes and infected humans in australia but little is known of its vector and reservoir host associations. a total of 43 isolates of strv from mosquitoes collected in new south wales between 1995 and 2013 was examined to determ ...201728253306
the highs and lows of making a bucket list-quantifying potential mosquito breeding habitats in metropolitan backyards.while the development of land for residential housing along the swan and canning rivers in perth, wa, australia has reduced natural mosquito breeding sites, the role of backyard container breeding remains a relatively unknown factor. local governments responsible for these areas focus management and control efforts on low lying, tidally driven mosquito habitats to control aedes vigilax (skuse) and aedes camptorhynchus (thomson) mosquitoes in an effort to reduce both the nuisance and disease risk ...201729164098
commensal viruses of mosquitoes: host restriction, transmission, and interaction with arboviral pathogens.recent advances in virus detection strategies and deep sequencing technologies have enabled the identification of a multitude of new viruses that persistently infect mosquitoes but do not infect vertebrates. these are usually referred to as insect-specific viruses (isvs). these novel viruses have generated considerable interest in their modes of transmission, persistence in mosquito populations, the mechanisms that restrict their host range to mosquitoes, and their interactions with pathogens tr ...201728096646
comparative mt genomics of the tipuloidea (diptera: nematocera: tipulomorpha) and its implications for the phylogeny of the tipulomorpha.a traditionally controversial taxon, the tipulomorpha has been frequently discussed with respect to both its familial composition and relationships with other nematocera. the interpretation of internal relationships within the tipuloidea, which include the tipulidae sensu stricto, cylindrotomidae, pediciidae and limoniidae, is also problematic. we sequenced the first complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of symplecta hybrida (meigen, 1804), which belongs to the subfamily chioneinae of family limoni ...201627341029
role of envelope n-linked glycosylation in ross river virus virulence and transmission.with an expanding geographical range and no specific treatments, human arthritogenic alphaviral disease poses a significant problem worldwide. previous in vitro work with ross river virus (rrv) demonstrated that alphaviral n-linked glycosylation contributes to type i ifn (ifn-αβ) induction in myeloid dendritic cells. this study further evaluated the role of alphaviral n-linked glycans in vivo, assessing the effect of glycosylation on pathogenesis in a mouse model of rrv-induced disease and on vi ...201626813162
wolbachia biocontrol strategies for arboviral diseases and the potential influence of resident wolbachia strains in mosquitoes.arboviruses transmitted by mosquitoes are a major cause of human disease worldwide. the absence of vaccines and effective vector control strategies has resulted in the need for novel mosquito control strategies. the endosymbiotic bacterium wolbachia has been proposed to form the basis for an effective mosquito biocontrol strategy. resident strains of wolbachia inhibit viral replication in drosophila fruit flies and induce a reproductive phenotype known as cytoplasmic incompatibility that allows ...201626925368
the insect-specific palm creek virus modulates west nile virus infection in and transmission by australian mosquitoes.insect-specific viruses do not replicate in vertebrate cells, but persist in mosquito populations and are highly prevalent in nature. these viruses may naturally regulate the transmission of pathogenic vertebrate-infecting arboviruses in co-infected mosquitoes. following the isolation of the first australian insect-specific flavivirus (isf), palm creek virus (pcv), we investigated routes of infection and transmission of this virus in key australian arbovirus vectors and its impact on replication ...201627457250
the phylogenetic relationships of known mosquito (diptera: culicidae) mitogenomes.the known mosquito mitogenomes, containing a total of 34 species, which belong to five genera, were collected from genbank, and the practicality and effectiveness of the variation in the complete mitochondrial dna genome and portions of mitochondrial coi gene were assessed to reconstruct the phylogeny of mosquitoes. phylogenetic trees were reconstructed on the basis of parsimony, maximum likelihood, and bayesian (bi) methods. it is concluded that: (1) both mitogenomes and coi gene support the mo ...201627731651
the complete mitochondrial dna genome of aedes vigilax (diptera: culicidae).the complete mitochondrial genomes of two main clades of the medically significant saltmarsh mosquito aedes vigilax skuse (diptera: culicidae) were obtained using combined illumina and sanger sequencing. the two 15,877 bp circular genomes share 99.0% nucleotide identity and encode 37 genes with identical gene arrangement similar to previously published culicidae species with a non-coding a + t rich region between rns and trna-ile. protein initiation codon is atn apart from nd5 (gtg) and cox1 (tc ...201626099979
mosquito communities and disease risk influenced by land use change and seasonality in the australian tropics.anthropogenic land use changes have contributed considerably to the rise of emerging and re-emerging mosquito-borne diseases. these diseases appear to be increasing as a result of the novel juxtapositions of habitats and species that can result in new interchanges of vectors, diseases and hosts. we studied whether the mosquito community structure varied between habitats and seasons and whether known disease vectors displayed habitat preferences in tropical australia.201627388293
global emergence of alphaviruses that cause arthritis in humans.arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) may cause severe emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, which pose a significant threat to human and animal health in the world today. these infectious diseases range from mild febrile illnesses, arthritis, and encephalitis to haemorrhagic fevers. it is postulated that certain environmental factors, vector competence, and host susceptibility have a major impact on the ecology of arboviral diseases. presently, there is a great interest in the emergence ...201526689654
development and field evaluation of the sentinel mosquito arbovirus capture kit (smack).although sentinel animals are used successfully throughout the world to monitor arbovirus activity, ethical considerations and cross-reactions in serological assays highlight the importance of developing viable alternatives. here we outline the development of a passive sentinel mosquito arbovirus capture kit (smack) that allows for the detection of arboviruses on honey-baited nucleic acid preservation cards (flinders technology associates; fta®) and has a similar trap efficacy as standard light ...201526444264
determining meteorological drivers of salt marsh mosquito peaks in tropical northern australia.in northern australia the northern salt marsh mosquito aedes vigilax is a vector of ross river virus and is an appreciable pest. a coastal wetland adjacent to darwin's residential suburbs offers a favorable habitat for ae. vigilax, and despite vigilant mosquito control efforts, peaks of ae. vigilax occur in excess of 500/trap/night some months. to improve mosquito control for disease and nuisance biting to nearby residential areas, we sought to investigate meteorological drivers associated with ...201526611962
a novel insect-specific flavivirus replicates only in aedes-derived cells and persists at high prevalence in wild aedes vigilax populations in sydney, australia.to date, insect-specific flaviviruses (isfs) have only been isolated from mosquitoes and increasing evidence suggests that isfs may affect the transmission of pathogenic flaviviruses. to investigate the diversity and prevalence of isfs in australian mosquitoes, samples from various regions were screened for flaviviruses by elisa and rt-pcr. thirty-eight pools of aedes vigilax from sydney in 2007 yielded isolates of a novel flavivirus, named parramatta river virus (parv). sequencing of the viral ...201526519596
field comparison of cyclopentanone versus carbon dioxide as an attractant for adult mosquitoes in southeast queensland, australia.cyclopentanone is a saturated monoketone typically used as an intermediate in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, biologicals, insecticides, and rubber chemicals. recently, it has been demonstrated that cyclopentanone activates the cpa co2 receptor neuron on the maxillary palp of mosquitoes, suggesting that it may be a viable alternative to co2 as an attractant for mosquitoes. furthermore, semifield experiments showed that traps baited with cyclopentanone attract culex quinquefasciatus say at a ...201526334825
larval temperature-food effects on adult mosquito infection and vertical transmission of dengue-1 virus.temperature-food interactions in the larval environment can affect life history and population growth of container mosquitoes aedes aegypti (l.) and aedes albopictus skuse, the primary vectors of chikungunya and dengue viruses. we used ae. aegypti, ae. albopictus, and dengue-1 virus (denv-1) from florida to investigate whether larval rearing temperature can alter the effects of larval food levels on ae. aegypti and ae. albopictus life history and denv-1 infection and vertical transmission. altho ...201526489999
myeloid cell arg1 inhibits control of arthritogenic alphavirus infection by suppressing antiviral t cells.arthritogenic alphaviruses, including ross river virus (rrv) and chikungunya virus (chikv), are responsible for explosive epidemics involving millions of cases. these mosquito-transmitted viruses cause inflammation and injury in skeletal muscle and joint tissues that results in debilitating pain. we previously showed that arginase 1 (arg1) was highly expressed in myeloid cells in the infected and inflamed musculoskeletal tissues of rrv- and chikv-infected mice, and specific deletion of arg1 from ...201526436766
ross river virus: many vectors and unusual hosts make for an unpredictable pathogen. 201526335937
the usual suspects: comparison of the relative roles of potential urban chikungunya virus vectors in australia.the global re-emergence of chikungunya virus (chikv) over the last decade presents a serious public health risk to australia. an increasing number of imported cases further underline the potential for local transmission to occur if local mosquitoes bite an infected traveller. laboratory experiments have identified a number of competent australian mosquito species, including the primary vectors of chikv abroad, aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus, and local endemic species aedes vigilax and aedes ...201526247366
epidemiology and control of bovine ephemeral fever.bovine ephemeral fever (or 3-day sickness) is an acute febrile illness of cattle and water buffaloes. caused by an arthropod-borne rhabdovirus, bovine ephemeral fever virus (befv), the disease occurs seasonally over a vast expanse of the globe encompassing much of africa, the middle east, asia and australia. although mortality rates are typically low, infection prevalence and morbidity rates during outbreaks are often very high, causing serious economic impacts through loss of milk production, p ...201526511615
filariasis serosurvey, new caledonia, south pacific, 2013.lymphatic filariasis (lf) is a major public health problem in the pacific. as the global prevalence of infection was not known in new caledonia (nc), a serosurvey study was conducted by determining the prevalence of circulating filarial antigens, as recommended by the world health organization.201525889011
modeling occurrence of urban mosquitos based on land use types and meteorological factors in korea.mosquitoes are a public health concern because they are vectors of pathogen, which cause human-related diseases. it is well known that the occurrence of mosquitoes is highly influenced by meteorological conditions (e.g., temperature and precipitation) and land use, but there are insufficient studies quantifying their impacts. therefore, three analytical methods were applied to determine the relationships between urban mosquito occurrence, land use type, and meteorological factors: cluster analys ...201526492260
ross river virus (rrv) infection in horses and humans: a review.a fascinating and important arbovirus is ross river virus (rrv) which is endemic and epizootic in nature in certain parts of the world. rrv is a member of the genus alphavirus within the semliki forest complex of the family togaviridae, which also includes the getah virus. the virus is responsible for causing disease both in humans as well as horses. mosquito species (aedes camptorhynchus and aedes vigilax; culex annulirostris) are the most important vector for this virus. in places of low tempe ...201426035950
cd8+ t cells control ross river virus infection in musculoskeletal tissues of infected mice.ross river virus (rrv), chikungunya virus, and related alphaviruses cause debilitating polyarthralgia and myalgia. mouse models of rrv and chikungunya virus have demonstrated a role for the adaptive immune response in the control of these infections. however, questions remain regarding the role for t cells in viral control, including the magnitude, location, and dynamics of cd8(+) t cell responses. to address these questions, we generated a recombinant rrv expressing the h-2(b)-restricted glycop ...201425488988
epidemiologic patterns of ross river virus disease in queensland, australia, 2001-2011.ross river virus (rrv) infection is a debilitating disease that has a significant impact on population health, economic productivity, and tourism in australia. this study examined epidemiologic patterns of rrv disease in queensland, australia, during january 2001-december 2011 at a statistical local area level. spatio-temporal analyses were used to identify the patterns of the disease distribution over time stratified by age, sex, and space. the results show that the mean annual incidence was 54 ...201424799374
attenuating mutations in nsp1 reveal tissue-specific mechanisms for control of ross river virus infection.ross river virus (rrv) is one of a group of mosquito-transmitted alphaviruses that cause debilitating, and often chronic, musculoskeletal disease in humans. previously, we reported that replacement of the nonstructural protein 1 (nsp1) gene of the mouse-virulent rrv strain t48 with that from the mouse-avirulent strain dc5692 generated a virus that was attenuated in a mouse model of disease. here we find that the six nsp1 nonsynonymous nucleotide differences between strains t48 and dc5692 are det ...201424429363
laboratory evaluation of predation on mosquito larvae by australian mangrove fish.a series of laboratory experiments compared predation rates of three native eastern australian mangrove fish species (psuedomugil signifer, hyseleotris galii, pseudogobius sp.) and the exotic gambusia holbrooki on 2nd and 4th instar aedes vigilax larvae, in order to determine their potential as mosquito control agents in mangrove forests. all four species preyed on significant numbers of both 2nd and 4th instar larvae. all showed a similar pattern of larval consumption, gorging on larvae in the ...201424820573
comparing aedes vigilax eggshell densities in saltmarsh and mangrove systems with implications for management.aedes vigilax (skuse), a nuisance and disease vector, is prolific in intertidal wetlands in australia. aedine mosquitoes oviposit directly onto substrate. the eggshells are relatively stable spatially and temporally, providing an estimate of mosquito larval production. the aims of the research were to compare, at a general level, oviposition in mangroves and saltmarshes, and to compare oviposition between different habitats within mangroves and saltmarshes. the results indicated that there were ...201426462954
enhanced arbovirus surveillance with deep sequencing: identification of novel rhabdoviruses and bunyaviruses in australian mosquitoes.viral metagenomics characterizes known and identifies unknown viruses based on sequence similarities to any previously sequenced viral genomes. a metagenomics approach was used to identify virus sequences in australian mosquitoes causing cytopathic effects in inoculated mammalian cell cultures. sequence comparisons revealed strains of liao ning virus (reovirus, seadornavirus), previously detected only in china, livestock-infecting stretch lagoon virus (reovirus, orbivirus), two novel dimarhabdov ...201324314645
mosquito consumption by insectivorous bats: does size matter?insectivorous bats have often been touted as biological control for mosquito populations. however, mosquitoes generally represent only a small proportion of bat diet. given the small size of mosquitoes, restrictions imposed on prey detectability by low frequency echolocation, and variable field metabolic rates (fmr), mosquitoes may not be available to or profitable for all bats. this study investigated whether consumption of mosquitoes was influenced by bat size, which is negatively correlated w ...201324130851
foraging ranges of insectivorous bats shift relative to changes in mosquito abundance.the need to develop effective management strategies for insectivorous bat populations requires an understanding of factors influencing habitat use. availability of pest prey, such as mosquitoes is likely to be one such factor. to assess whether this is the case, we radio-tracked vespadelus vulturnus thomas (little forest bat), a predator of aedes vigilax skuse (saltmarsh mosquito), in saltmarsh and adjacent coastal swamp forest during periods of high and low ae. vigilax abundance. when mosquito ...201323667699
a tyrosine-to-histidine switch at position 18 of the ross river virus e2 glycoprotein is a determinant of virus fitness in disparate hosts.arthritogenic alphaviruses are human pathogens maintained in nature through alternating replication in vertebrates and mosquitoes. using chimeric viruses, we previously reported that replacement of the pe2 coding region of the t48 strain of ross river virus (rrv-t48) with that from the attenuated dc5692 strain, which differ by 7 amino acids, resulted in an attenuated disease phenotype in a mouse model of rrv-induced rheumatic disease. here, we demonstrate that introduction of one of these amino ...201323514884
the impact of encroachment of mangroves into saltmarshes on saltwater mosquito habitats.will mangrove encroachment into saltmarshes affect saltwater mosquito habitats? to address this, we synthesized information from two perspectives: 1) at a detailed level, the immature mosquito habitat within mangroves; 2) at a more general or regional level, changes due to mangrove expansion into saltmarshes. this is a synthesis of two research projects. one showed that mosquito larval habitats in mangroves are complex, related to the detailed interactions between topography and tidal patterns a ...201324581363
vector-virus interactions and transmission dynamics of west nile virus.west nile virus (wnv; flavivirus; flaviviridae) is the cause of the most widespread arthropod-borne viral disease in the world and the largest outbreak of neuroinvasive disease ever observed. mosquito-borne outbreaks are influenced by intrinsic (e.g., vector and viral genetics, vector and host competence, vector life-history traits) and extrinsic (e.g., temperature, rainfall, human land use) factors that affect virus activity and mosquito biology in complex ways. the concept of vectorial capacit ...201324351794
cuticular hydrocarbons as a tool for the identification of insect species: puparial cases from sarcophagidae.the external surface of all insects is covered by a species-specific complex mixture of highly stable, very long chain cuticular hydrocarbons (chcs). gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was used to identify chcs from four species of sarcophagidae, peckia (peckia) chrysostoma, peckia (pattonella) intermutans, sarcophaga (liopygia) ruficornis and sarcodexia lambens. the identified chcs were mostly a mixture of n-alkanes, monomethylalkanes and dimethylalkanes with linear chain lengths v ...201323932943
spatial patterns of high aedes aegypti oviposition activity in northwestern argentina.in argentina, dengue has affected mainly the northern provinces, including salta. the objective of this study was to analyze the spatial patterns of high aedes aegypti oviposition activity in san ramón de la nueva orán, northwestern argentina. the location of clusters as hot spot areas should help control programs to identify priority areas and allocate their resources more effectively.201323349813
chikungunya virus with e1-a226v mutation causing two outbreaks in 2010, guangdong, china.chikv is a mosquito-borne emerging pathogen that has a major health impact in humans in tropical zones around the globe. a new variant of the virus, e1-a226v caused a large outbreak in the indian ocean islands and india from 2004-2007. chikv outbreak was initially reported in dongguan region of guangdong in 2010 in china, another smaller chikv outbreak was found in yangjiang region of guangdong two weeks later. the viral agent causing the two outbreaks was inferred to be the new e1-a226v variant ...201323725047
surveillance should be strengthened to improve epidemiological understandings of mosquito-borne barmah forest virus infection.barmah forest virus (bfv) is a mosquito-borne virus causing epidemic polyarthritis in australia. this study used case follow-up of cases from the surveillance system to demonstrate that routinely collected bfv notification data were an unreliable indicator of the true location of exposure.201223908926
initial sequence characterization of the rhabdoviruses of squamate reptiles, including a novel rhabdovirus from a caiman lizard (dracaena guianensis).rhabdoviruses infect a variety of hosts, including non-avian reptiles. consensus pcr techniques were used to obtain partial rna-dependent rna polymerase gene sequence from five rhabdoviruses of south american lizards; marco, chaco, timbo, sena madureira, and a rhabdovirus from a caiman lizard (dracaena guianensis). the caiman lizard rhabdovirus formed inclusions in erythrocytes, which may be a route for infecting hematophagous insects. this is the first information on behavior of a rhabdovirus i ...201222397930
genetic ablation of arginase 1 in macrophages and neutrophils enhances clearance of an arthritogenic alphavirus.chikungunya virus (chikv) and ross river virus (rrv) cause a debilitating, and often chronic, musculoskeletal inflammatory disease in humans. macrophages constitute the major inflammatory infiltrates in musculoskeletal tissues during these infections. however, the precise macrophage effector functions that affect the pathogenesis of arthritogenic alphaviruses have not been defined. we hypothesized that the severe damage to musculoskeletal tissues observed in rrv- or chikv-infected mice would pro ...201222972923
pyriproxyfen for the control of australian salt-marsh mosquito, aedes vigilax.the efficacy of pyriproxyfen against the australian salt-marsh mosquito, aedes vigilax, was examined in 2 laboratory and 1 semi-field study using both technical grade and formulated products. in a dose-response study, the median emergence inhibition (ei50) and ei95 values were determined to be 0.019 and 0.076 ppb, respectively, for pyriproxyfen technical grade, 0.021 and 0.092 ppb for a microencapsulated formulation (sumilarv 90cs), and 0.054 and 0.236 ppb for the formulated s-methoprene product ...201222533086
experimental comparison of aerial larvicides and habitat modification for controlling disease-carrying aedes vigilax mosquitoes.microbial and insect-growth-regulator larvicides dominate current vector control programmes because they reduce larval abundance and are relatively environmentally benign. however, their short persistence makes them expensive, and environmental manipulation of larval habitat might be an alternative control measure. aedes vigilax is a major vector species in northern australia. a field experiment was implemented in darwin, australia, to test the hypotheses that (1) aerial microbial larvicide appl ...201222076747
a comparison of adult mosquito trapping regimes across seasons and ecosystems in darwin, australia.mosquitoes are problematic as vectors and pests in many tropical cities, including darwin, the principal city in the northern territory of australia. to monitor peaks in mosquito populations, the medical entomology unit of the health department sets overnight co(2) -baited traps weekly. trap setting and retrieving, followed by mosquito counting and identification, are labor intensive. aiming to reduce this workload, we tested the hypothesis that fortnightly trapping is as effective as weekly tra ...201223181850
efficacy of residual insecticide biflex aquamax applied as barrier treatments for managing mosquito populations in suburban residential properties in southeast queensland.the pyrethroid insecticide biflex aquamax (bifenthrin) was evaluated for its ability to suppress coastal mosquito populations in a controlled suburban backyard study in mango hill, queensland, australia. the insecticide was applied to perimeter vegetation, fencing in selected backyards, or both, and mosquito populations were monitored weekly from 3 wk before to 8 wk after treatment (11 wk total) by using cdc miniature light traps and human bait landing rates. in addition, bioassays were conducte ...201223025182
newly recognized mosquito-associated viruses in mainland china, in the last two decades.there are four principal arboviruses in mainland china. two kinds of them are mosquito-borne viruses, namely japanese encephalitis virus and dengue virus, which lead to japanese encephalitis, and dengue fever/dengue hemorrhagic fever respectively; the other two are tick-borne viruses, namely tick-borne encephalitis virus and crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever virus (also known as xinjiang hemorrhagic fever virus), which contribute to tick-borne encephalitis and xinjiang hemorrhagic fever respective ...201121314994
linking individual phenotype to density-dependent population growth: the influence of body size on the population dynamics of malaria vectors.understanding the endogenous factors that drive the population dynamics of malaria mosquitoes will facilitate more accurate predictions about vector control effectiveness and our ability to destabilize the growth of either low- or high-density insect populations. we assessed whether variation in phenotypic traits predict the dynamics of anopheles gambiae sensu lato mosquitoes, the most important vectors of human malaria. anopheles gambiae dynamics were monitored over a six-month period of season ...201121389034
genetic characterization of k13965, a strain of oak vale virus from western australia.k13965, an uncharacterized virus, was isolated in 1993 from anopheles annulipes mosquitoes collected in the kimberley region of northern western australia. here, we report its genomic sequence, identify it as a rhabdovirus, and characterize its phylogenetic relationships. the genome comprises a p' (c) and sh protein similar to the recently characterized tupaia and durham viruses, and shows overlap between g and l genes. comparison of k13965 genome sequence to other rhabdoviruses identified k1396 ...201121740935
application of broad-spectrum resequencing microarray for genotyping rhabdoviruses.the rapid and accurate identification of pathogens is critical in the control of infectious disease. to this end, we analyzed the capacity for viral detection and identification of a newly described high-density resequencing microarray (rma), termed pathogenid, which was designed for multiple pathogen detection using database similarity searching. we focused on one of the largest and most diverse viral families described to date, the family rhabdoviridae. we demonstrate that this approach has th ...201020610710
difference in mosquito species (diptera: culicidae) and the transmission of ross river virus between coastline and inland areas in brisbane, australia.this study examined the distribution of major mosquito species and their roles in the transmission of ross river virus (rrv) infection for coastline and inland areas in brisbane, australia (27 degrees 28' s, 153 degrees 2' e). we obtained data on the monthly counts of rrv cases in brisbane between november 1998 and december 2001 by statistical local areas from the queensland department of health and the monthly mosquito abundance from the brisbane city council. correlation analysis was used to a ...201020146843
blood feeding patterns of mosquitoes: random or structured?abstract:201020205866
organ-associated muscles in aedes albopictus (diptera: culicidae) respond differentially to sindbis virus.differential host cell responses to the alphavirus sindbis were observed in visceral muscles of the adult female mosquito aedes albopictus. following intrathoracic inoculation with sin, muscles associated with the midgut, hindgut, and ovary resulted in clearance, persistence, and refractoriness to virus, respectively. prominent sarcomeres characteristic of myofilaments were identified in muscles associated with these three organs by phalloidin labeling of actin, confirming these cells as muscle. ...201020380303
bayesian spatiotemporal analysis of socio-ecologic drivers of ross river virus transmission in queensland, australia.this study aims to examine the impact of socio-ecologic factors on the transmission of ross river virus (rrv) infection and to identify areas prone to social and ecologic-driven epidemics in queensland, australia. we used a bayesian spatiotemporal conditional autoregressive model to quantify the relationship between monthly variation of rrv incidence and socio-ecologic factors and to determine spatiotemporal patterns. our results show that the average increase in monthly rrv incidence was 2.4% ( ...201020810846
vector competence of australian mosquitoes for chikungunya virus.chikungunya virus (chikv) is a globally emerging arbovirus responsible for unprecedented outbreaks in the western indian ocean, the indian subcontinent and italy. to assess the receptivity of australia to chikv, we exposed 10 australian mosquito species to a 2006 strain of chikv isolated from a viremic traveler from mauritius. in susceptibility trials, the infectious dose required to infect 50% of the mosquitoes was 10(0.6) cell culture infectious dose (ccid)(50)/mosquito for aedes procax, 10(1. ...201019877822
environmental monitoring to enhance comprehension and control of infectious diseases.in a world of emerging and resurging infectious diseases, dominated by zoonoses, environmental monitoring plays a vital role in our understanding their dynamics and their spillover to humans. here, we critically review the ecology, epidemiology and need for monitoring of a variety of directly transmitted (sin nombre virus, avian influenza) and vector-borne (ross river virus, west nile virus, lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis) zoonoses. we focus on the valuable role that existing monitori ...201020957286
mutations in nsp1 and pe2 are critical determinants of ross river virus-induced musculoskeletal inflammatory disease in a mouse model.the viral determinants of alphavirus-induced rheumatic disease have not been elucidated. we identified an rrv strain (dc5692) which, in contrast to the t48 strain, does not induce musculoskeletal inflammation in a mouse model of rrv disease. substitution of the rrv t48 strain nonstructural protein 1 (nsp1) coding sequence with that from strain dc5692 generated a virus that was attenuated in vivo despite similar viral loads in tissues. in contrast, substitution of the t48 pe2 coding region with t ...201021131014
comparative field evaluation of repellent formulations containing deet and ir3535 against mosquitoes in queensland, australia.field trials comparing repellent formulations containing ir3535 (ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate) and deet (n,n-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) against mosquitoes in queensland, australia, were conducted. two repellents were compared: avon bug guard, containing 7.5% ir3535; and australian defense force (adf) deet, containing 35% deet in a gel. two tests were conducted, one in february-march 2006, and the second in february 2007. in the 1st test, the predominant mosquito species collected were manson ...200920099600
a geospatial evaluation of aedes vigilax larval control efforts across a coastal wetland, northern territory, australia.adjacent to the northern suburbs of darwin is a coastal wetland that contains important larval habitats for aedes vigilax (skuse), the northern salt marsh mosquito. this species is a vector for ross river virus and barmah forest virus, as well as an appreciable human pest. in order to improve aerial larval control efforts, we sought to identify the most important vegetation categories and climatic/seasonal aspects associated with control operations in these wetlands. by using a generalized linea ...200920836835
predicting the timing and magnitude of tropical mosquito population peaks for maximizing control efficiency.the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases is strongly linked to the abundance of the host vector. identifying the environmental and biological precursors which herald the onset of peaks in mosquito abundance would give health and land-use managers the capacity to predict the timing and distribution of the most efficient and cost-effective mosquito control. we analysed a 15-year time series of monthly abundance of aedes vigilax, a tropical mosquito species from northern australia, to determine ...200919238191
isolation of buggy creek virus (togaviridae: alphavirus) from field-collected eggs of oeciacus vicarius (hemiptera: cimicidae).alphaviruses (togaviridae) rarely have been found to be vertically transmitted from female arthropods to their progeny. we report two isolations of buggy creek virus (bcrv), an ecologically unusual alphavirus related to western equine encephalomyelitis virus, from field-collected eggs of cimicid swallow bugs (oeciacus vicarius horvath), the principal vector for bcrv. ten percent of egg pools were positive for bcrv, and we estimated minimum infection rates to be 1.03 infected eggs per 1,000 teste ...200919351091
quality assurance of aerial applications of larvicides for mosquito control: effects of granule and catch tray size on field monitoring programs.aerial applications of granular insecticides are preferable because they can effectively penetrate vegetation, there is less drift, and no loss of product due to evaporation. we aimed to 1) assess the field efficacy ofvectobac g to control aedes vigilax (skuse) in saltmarsh pools, 2) develop a stochastic-modeling procedure to monitor application quality, and 3) assess the distribution of vectobac g after an aerial application. because ground-based studies with ae. vigilax immatures found that ve ...200919449629
stone lakes virus (family togaviridae, genus alphavirus), a variant of fort morgan virus isolated from swallow bugs (hemiptera: cimicidae) west of the continental divide.multiple isolates of an alphaviruses within the western equine encephalomyelitis-serocomplex that were related closely to ft. morgan and its variant buggy creek virus were made from swallow bugs, oeciacus vicarius horvath (hemiptera: cimicidae), collected from cliff swallow (petrochelidon pyrrhonota) nests at the stone lakes national wildlife refuge, sacramento county, ca, during the summers of 2005 and 2006. this virus (hereafter stone lakes virus, family togaviridae, genus alphavirus, stlv) wa ...200919769055
arboviruses isolated from mosquitoes collected from urban and peri-urban areas of eastern australia.to determine the presence of arboviruses in mosquito populations from major urban areas of eastern australia, a total of 67,825 mosquitoes, representing -60 species, was collected and tested from cairns, brisbane, and sydney between january 2005 and april 2008. mosquito pools were screened by inoculation onto mosquito cell cultures and the detection of viral antigen using a panel of flavivirus and alphavirus monoclonal antibodies in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. suspect positive samples ...200919852216
spatial epidemiology in zoonotic parasitic diseases: insights gained at the 1st international symposium on geospatial health in lijiang, china, 2007.the 1st international symposium on geospatial health was convened in lijiang, yunnan province, people's republic of china from 8 to 9 september, 2007. the objective was to review progress made with the application of spatial techniques on zoonotic parasitic diseases, particularly in southeast asia. the symposium featured 71 presentations covering soil-transmitted and water-borne helminth infections, as well as arthropod-borne diseases such as leishmaniasis, malaria and lymphatic filariasis. the ...200919193214
modelling the ecology of the coastal mosquitoes aedes vigilax and aedes camptorhynchus at port pirie, south australia.two mosquito species, aedes camptorhynchus (thomson) and aedes vigilax (skuse) (diptera: culicidae) are responsible for significant nuisance biting and disease transmission in southern coastal australia. mosquito abundance, tide height, temperature and rainfall data were collected over three summer seasons (2002, 2003, 2004) at port pirie, south australia and subjected to statistical analysis to develop ecological models for predicting problem mosquito outbreaks. a logistic regression model for ...200919239618
quantifying the drivers of larval density patterns in two tropical mosquito species to maximize control efficiency.understanding the contributions of environmental variation and density feedbacks to changes in vector populations is essential for designing effective vector control. we analyzed monitoring datasets describing larval densities over 7 yr of the two dominant mosquito species, aedes vigilax (skuse) and culex annulirostris (skuse), of the greater darwin area (northern territory, australia). using generalized linear and linear mixed-effects models, we tested hypotheses regarding the environmental det ...200919689879
a comparison of aedes vigilax larval population densities and associated vegetation categories in a coastal wetland, northern territory, australia.darwin's northern suburbs border an extensive coastal reed and upper mangrove wetland recognized as an important larval habitat for aedes vigilax (skuse), the northern salt marsh mosquito, an established vector for ross river and barmah forest viruses and an appreciable pest species. we sought to identify the most important vegetation categories associated with ae. vigilax breeding to maximize the efficiency of mosquito control efforts. using a generalized linear model with negative binominal di ...200920836834
endogenous and exogenous factors controlling temporal abundance patterns of tropical mosquitoes.the growing demand for efficient and effective mosquito control requires a better understanding of vector population dynamics and how these are modified by endogenous and exogenous factors. a long-term (11-year) monitoring data set describing the relative abundance of the saltmarsh mosquito (aedes vigilax) in the greater darwin region, northern australia, was examined in a suite of gompertz-logistic (gl) models with and without hypothesized environmental correlates (high tide frequency, rainfall ...200819263895
evaluations of mosquito age grading techniques based on morphological changes.evaluations were made of the accuracy and practicality of mosquito age grading methods based on changes to mosquito morphology; including the detinova ovarian tracheation, midgut meconium, polovodova ovariole dilatation, ovarian injection, and daily growth line methods. laboratory maintained aedes vigilax (skuse) and culex annulirostris (skuse) females of known chronological and physiological ages were used for these assessments. application of the detinova technique to laboratory reared ae. vig ...200818533427
quantitative trait loci determining autogeny and body size in the asian tiger mosquito (aedes albopictus).the majority of mosquito species require a blood meal to stimulate vitellogenesis and subsequent oviposition (anautogeny), but some autogenous individuals complete their first ovarian cycle without a blood meal. autogeny may be facultative or obligatory. in this study, we selected for an autogenous strain in the asian tiger mosquito aedes albopictus and examined an f(1) intercross population for quantitative trait loci (qtl) determining the autogeny trait as well as wing length as a proxy for bo ...200818461085
experimental infection of aedes sollicitans and aedes taeniorhynchus with two chimeric sindbis/eastern equine encephalitis virus vaccine candidates.two chimeric vaccine candidates for eastern equine encephalitis virus (eeev) were developed by inserting the structural protein genes of either a north american (na) or south american (sa) eeev into a sindbis virus (sinv) backbone. to assess the effect of chimerization on mosquito infectivity, experimental infections of two potential north american bridge vectors of eeev, aedes sollicitans and ae. taeniorhynchus, were attempted. both species were susceptible to oral infection with all viruses af ...200818187790
predictive indicators for ross river virus infection in the darwin area of tropical northern australia, using long-term mosquito trapping data.to describe the epidemiology of ross river virus (rrv) infection in the endemic darwin region of tropical northern australia and to develop a predictive model for rrv infections.200818482196
temperature, viral genetics, and the transmission of west nile virus by culex pipiens mosquitoes.the distribution and intensity of transmission of vector-borne pathogens can be strongly influenced by the competence of vectors. vector competence, in turn, can be influenced by temperature and viral genetics. west nile virus (wnv) was introduced into the united states of america in 1999 and subsequently spread throughout much of the americas. previously, we have shown that a novel genotype of wnv, wn02, first detected in 2001, spread across the us and was more efficient than the introduced gen ...200818584026
complement receptor 3 promotes severe ross river virus-induced disease.alphaviruses such as ross river virus (rrv) and chikungunya virus are mosquito-transmitted viruses that cause explosive epidemics of debilitating arthritis and myositis affecting millions of humans worldwide. previous studies using a mouse model of rrv-induced disease demonstrated that viral infection results in a severe inflammatory arthritis and myositis and that complement component 3 (c3) contributes to the destructive phase of the inflammatory disease but not the recruitment of cellular inf ...200818787004
climate variability, social and environmental factors, and ross river virus transmission: research development and future research needs.arbovirus diseases have emerged as a global public health concern. however, the impact of climatic, social, and environmental variability on the transmission of arbovirus diseases remains to be determined.200819079707
differential induction of type i interferon responses in myeloid dendritic cells by mosquito and mammalian-cell-derived alphaviruses.dendritic cells (dcs) are an important early target cell for many mosquito-borne viruses, and in many cases mosquito-cell-derived arboviruses more efficiently infect dcs than viruses derived from mammalian cells. however, whether mosquito-cell-derived viruses differ from mammalian-cell-derived viruses in their ability to induce antiviral responses in the infected dendritic cell has not been evaluated. in this report, alphaviruses, which are mosquito-borne viruses that cause diseases ranging from ...200717079324
complement contributes to inflammatory tissue destruction in a mouse model of ross river virus-induced disease.arthritogenic alphaviruses, including ross river virus (rrv) and chikungunya virus, are mosquito-borne viruses that cause significant human disease worldwide, including explosive epidemics that can result in thousands to millions of infected individuals. similar to infection of humans, infection of c57bl/6 mice with rrv results in severe monocytic inflammation of bone, joint, and skeletal muscle tissues. we demonstrate here that the complement system, an important component of the innate immune ...200717314163
mosquito feeding patterns and natural infection of vertebrates with ross river and barmah forest viruses in brisbane, australia.host feeding patterns of mosquitoes were assessed through the identification of 865 blood meals collected from brisbane during 2000-2001. under natural conditions, mosquito feeding (including that of culex annulirostris, aedes vigilax, and aedes notoscriptus) was primarily on dogs (37.4%), but also on birds (18.4%), horses (16.8%), brushtail possums (13.3%), humans (11.6%), and cats, flying foxes, and macropods, depending on site. from 1997 to 1999, sera (n=1706) were collected from dogs, cats, ...200717360861
evaluation of bifenthrin and permethrin as barrier treatments for military tents against mosquitoes in queensland, australia.a study comparing the effectiveness of barrier treatment of military tents with bifenthrin and permethrin in preventing entry of mosquitoes was conducted at wide bay training area, queensland, australia. five military tents were erected at a site in bushland at mosquito creek, about 2 km from the coast. two tents were sprayed with bifenthrin (bistar 80sc, 0.1% mix, 12.5 ml/liter) and 2 with permethrin (perigen 500, 1.2%, 24 ml/liter). one was left untreated and served as a control. carbon dioxid ...200717847855
investigation of cuticular hydrocarbons for determining the age and survivorship of australasian mosquitoes.the cuticular hydrocarbon (ch) technique of age grading mosquitoes was evaluated for use on laboratory-reared aedes aegypti (l.), anopheles farauti (laveran), and ochlerotatus vigilax (skuse). gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy was used to determine the relative abundance of five alkanes in hexane extracts from the legs of individual mosquitoes. age-related changes to relative hydrocarbon abundances were observed from an. farauti and ae. aegypti, which are vectors of malaria and dengue, respec ...200616525108
the argument for integrating vector control with multiple drug administration campaigns to ensure elimination of lymphatic filariasis.there is a danger that mass drug administration campaigns may fail to maintain adequate treatment coverage to achieve lymphatic filariasis elimination. hence, additional measures to suppress transmission might be needed to ensure the success of the global program for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis.200616914040
role of verrallina funerea (diptera: culicidae) in transmission of barmah forest virus and ross river virus in coastal areas of eastern australia.verrallina funerea (theobald) (diptera: culicidae) is a brackish water mosquito species found most commonly in indonesia, papua new guinea, and the northeastern coastal regions of australia. aspects of the vector competence of this species for barmah forest virus (family togaviridae, genus alphavirus, bfv) and ross river virus (family togaviridae, genus alphavirus, rrv), two medically important arboviruses in australia, were investigated. laboratory-reared ve. funerea were moderately susceptible ...200617162959
targeted trapping of mosquito vectors in the chesapeake bay area of maryland.most adult mosquito surveillance in maryland is performed using dry ice-baited or unbaited centers for disease control (cdc) miniature light traps suspended approximately 1.5 m above the ground. however, standardized trapping methods may miss mosquito species involved in disease transmission cycles. during a 2-yr study, the effectiveness of the olfactory attractant 1-octen-3-ol alone and in combination with carbon dioxide was evaluated for collecting mosquito vector species. in addition, trap he ...200616619593
mosquito species (diptera: culicidae) and the transmission of ross river virus in brisbane, australia.this study aimed to identify the major mosquito vectors of ross river virus (family togaviridae, genus alphavirus, rrv) and to explore the threshold of mosquito abundance necessary for rrv transmission in brisbane, australia. data on the monthly counts of rrv cases by statistical local areas from the queensland health and the monthly mosquito abundance in brisbane between november 1998 and december 2001 from the brisbane city council were used to assess the pairwise relationship between mosquito ...200616619624
ross river virus disease clusters and spatial relationship with mosquito biting exposure in redland shire, southern queensland, australia.the spatial heterogeneity in the risk of ross river virus (family togaviridae, genus alphavirus, rrv) disease, the most common mosquito-borne disease in australia, was examined in redland shire in southern queensland, australia. disease cases, complaints from residents of intense mosquito biting exposure, and human population data were mapped using a geographic information system. surface maps of rrv disease age-sex standardized morbidity ratios and mosquito biting complaint morbidity ratios wer ...200617017245
experimental infection of culex annulirostris, culex gelidus, and aedes vigilax with a yellow fever/japanese encephalitis virus vaccine chimera (chimerivax-je).australian mosquitoes from which japanese encephalitis virus (jev) has been recovered (culex annulirostris, culex gelidus, and aedes vigilax) were assessed for their ability to be infected with the chimerivax-je vaccine, with yellow fever vaccine virus 17d (yf 17d) from which the backbone of chimerivax-je vaccine is derived and with jev-nakayama. none of the mosquitoes became infected after being fed orally with 6.1 log(10) plaque-forming units (pfu)/ml of chimerivax-je vaccine, which is greater ...200617038690
characterization of ross river virus tropism and virus-induced inflammation in a mouse model of viral arthritis and myositis.mosquito-borne alphaviruses are a significant cause of both encephalitic and arthritic disease in humans worldwide. in contrast to the encephalitic alphaviruses, the pathogenesis of alphavirus-induced arthritic disease is not well understood. utilizing a mouse model of ross river virus (rrv) disease, we found that the primary targets of rrv infection are bone, joint, and skeletal muscle tissues of the hind limbs in both outbred cd-1 mice and adult c57bl/6j mice. moreover, histological analyses d ...200616378976
comparison of carbon dioxide- and octenol-baited encephalitis virus surveillance mosquito traps at the shoal water bay training area, queensland, australia.the use of octenol in combination with carbon dioxide (co2)-baited encephalitis virus surveillance (evs) mosquito traps was evaluated under simulated wartime operational conditions during operation tandem thrust (tt01) at the shoalwater bay training area, queensland, australia in 2001. a greater number of mosquito species were captured in traps baited with octenol plus co2 than those baited with co2 or octenol in the saltwater marsh, freshwater beach. in the inland environments of camp growl and ...200516506585
ecology of invasive mosquitoes: effects on resident species and on human health.investigations of biological invasions focus on patterns and processes that are related to introduction, establishment, spread and impacts of introduced species. this review focuses on the ecological interactions operating during invasions by the most prominent group of insect vectors of disease, mosquitoes. first, we review characteristics of non-native mosquito species that have established viable populations, and those invasive species that have spread widely and had major impacts, testing wh ...200517637849
climatic, high tide and vector variables and the transmission of ross river virus.this report assesses the impact of the variability in environmental and vector factors on the transmission of ross river virus (rrv) in brisbane, australia. poisson time series regression analyses were conducted using monthly data on the counts of rrv cases, climate variables (southern oscillation index and rainfall), high tides and mosquito density for the period of 1998-2001. the results indicate that increases in the high tide (relative risk (rr): 1.65; 95% confidence interval (ci): 1.20-2.26 ...200516248864
spatial statistical analysis of adult mosquito (diptera: culicidae) counts: an example using light trap data, in redland shire, southeastern queensland, australia.many mosquito control agencies use carbon dioxide-baited traps as surveillance tools for adult vector populations. however, decisions regarding the number and location of trap sites and the frequency of collections are often based on logistical issues, and not on the bionomics or spatial distribution of the target species. therefore, with the aim of providing practical information for adult mosquito surveillance programs, we used an array of 81 carbon dioxide- and octenol-baited lights traps to ...200415605654
repellency of permethrin-treated battle-dress uniforms during operation tandem thrust 2001.successful feeding by mosquitoes through permethrin-treated battle-dress uniforms (bdus) was observed in the shoalwater bay training area (swbta), queensland, australia, during operation tandem thrust 1997 (tt97). therefore, during operation tandem thrust 2001, the repellency of permethrin-treated bdus was evaluated. washing permethrin-treated bdus 1 time reduced the permethrin concentration by 60%, but permethrin concentration was not reduced further after subsequent washings (up to 20 times). ...200415669394
occurrence of ross river virus and barmah forest virus in mosquitoes at shoalwater bay military training area, queensland, australia.shoalwater bay military training area (swbta), 2,713 km2 of land located 50-80 km north of rockhampton, queensland, australia, is used by australian and allied forces for training purposes. between march 1998 and february 2000, monthly collections of mosquitoes at 15 sites were conducted using carbon dioxide-baited traps to study the seasonal occurrence of mosquitoes and ross river virus (rrv) and barmah forest virus (bfv) in mosquitoes. a total of 72,616 mosquitoes, comprising 3,897 pools were ...200414989354
vector competence of australian mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) for japanese encephalitis virus.australian mosquitoes were evaluated for their ability to become infected with and transmit a torres strait strain of japanese encephalitis virus. mosquitoes, which were obtained from either laboratory colonies and collected using centers for disease control and prevention light traps baited with co2 and octenol or reared from larvae, were infected by feeding on a blood/sucrose solution containing 10(4.5 +/- 0.1) porcine stable-equine kidney (ps-ek) tissue culture infectious dose50/mosquito of t ...200312597658
collection of wind-borne haematophagous insects in the torres strait, australia.circumstantial evidence has implicated wind-borne mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) in the introduction of japanese encephalitis (je) virus into australia from the new guinea mainland. a study was initiated on saibai island in the northern torres strait, during january and february 2000, to identify the potential source of insects collected in aerial (kytoon) and surface-level traps. wind speed and direction were recorded to determine wind profiles during insect sampling. northerly winds capable o ...200312680932
flavivirus isolations from mosquitoes collected from western cape york peninsula, australia, 1999-2000.after the 1st appearance of japanese encephalitis virus (je) on mainland australia in 1998, a study was undertaken to investigate whether je had become established in enzootic transmission cycles on western cape york peninsula. adult mosquitoes were collected during the late wet season from kowanyama and pormpuraaw in april 1999, and pormpuraaw and barr's yard in april 2000. despite processing 269,270 mosquitoes for virus isolation, no isolates of je were obtained. however, other flaviviruses co ...200314710742
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