Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois
INRS State Scientific Surveys
Medical Entomology Research
Introduction:
The Medical Entomology Program integrates evolutionary, ecological, virological, epidemiological, and molecular research on invasive and disease transmitting container inhabiting mosquitoes (e.g. Aedes, Ochlerotatus, and Culex species). The program conducts a unique combination of applied and basic research. For example, the laboratory directly assists mosquito abatement and public health organizations in Illinois by confirming the presence of West Nile virus in mosquito pools by RT-PCR. This data is also used to compare West Nile virus detection techniques (i.e., VecTest and RAMP) and to evaluate the spatial and temporal variation in vector abundance and infection rates. Members of the laboratory also collaborate on national and international projects, such as the study of meteorological impact on arbovirus transmission and the ecology of Anopheles vectors of malaria.
The primary focus of the Medical Entomology Program is related to how biotic and abiotic factors mediate direct and indirect changes in mosquito life history traits (development rates and adult longevity) density (survivorship), intra- and interspecific interactions (competition), behavior (bloodfeeding), and susceptibility to infection (vector competency for zoonotic pathogens).
Ontogenic niche shifts are common among organisms with metamorphic life cycles, especially those switching from aquatic to terrestrial habitats, as seen in mosquitoes. Two typical characteristics among organisms with this type of life cycle are 1) asymmetric larval adaptations to heterogeneous, fluctuating, and often stressful aquatic environments and 2) the latent impact of larval exposure to stress on adult fitness and their response to biotic (e.g. attack by parasites and pathogens) and abiotic (e.g. thermal stress and exposure to insecticides) challenges . Our recent studies expose mosquito larvae to a combination of environmental stressors (e.g., intra- and interspecific competition, risk of predation, thermal stress, lethal xenobiotics) and then we quantify multiple life history traits including survival, size, longevity, fecundity, susceptibility to viruses and insecticides, and response to temperature. This allows us to estimate the impact of different types of stress on population growth and risk of pathogen transmission.
Below are some of the specific research questions we are addressing:
- Direct and indirect effect of different types of larval stress on adult mosquito fitness, vector competence and sensitivity to thermal and insecticide stress
- What is the impact of larval exposure to different types of environmental stressors both independently and in combination on adult mosquito fitness (e.g. size, longevity, fecundity, fertility) etc?
- How does larval exposure to different types of environmental stressors alter vector competence for arboviruses and sensitivity to insecticides and thermo stress?
- Molecular adaptations to stress
- Does the condition of the larval environment alter expression of immune and defense genes?
- Is there any relationship between stress-specific gene expression and adult mosquito fitness (survival, longevity, size, fecundity), and vector competence?
- Mechanisms of species coexistence and displacement
- How do different mosquito species perform in different types of detritus (e.g. survival, size, longevity, fecundity) etc?
- What role does detritus type play in mediating mosquito species coexistence or displacement?
- Is there a relationship between mosquito detoxification capability and adaptation to particular detritus types?
- Host-feeding preferences and spatial-temporal variations in Culex pipiens and Culex restuans populations and West Nile virus infection in mosquitoes, birds, and humans
- Collaborations with Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois State Water Survey, and Mosquito Abatement Districts in Illinois
Plaque assay for used to quantify arbovirus growth.
Pictured in this photo are Vesicular stomatitis.