A5055243583- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Counseling Practices and Supervision
- Psychiatric care and mental health services
- Plant and animal studies
- Phytoplasmas and Hemiptera pathogens
- Cocoa and Sweet Potato Agronomy
- Fashion and Cultural Textiles
- Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Cultural Industries and Urban Development
- Technology Adoption and User Behaviour
- Child Development and Digital Technology
The University of Melbourne
2011-2023
Health Sciences and Nutrition
2015
Memorial University of Newfoundland
2010
The wMel infection of Drosophila melanogaster was successfully transferred into Aedes aegypti mosquitoes where it has the potential to suppress dengue and other arboviruses. subsequently spread two natural populations at Yorkeys Knob Gordonvale near Cairns, Queensland in 2011. Here we report on stability following introduction characterize factors influencing ongoing dynamics these populations. While Wolbachia always remained high fixation both locations, there a persistent low frequency...
Wolbachia endosymbionts are potentially useful tools for suppressing disease transmission by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes because can interfere with the of dengue and other viruses as well causing deleterious effects on their mosquito hosts. Most recent research has focused wMel infection, but infections also influence viral may spread in natural populations. Here, we focus wAlbB infection an Australian outbred background show that this many features facilitate its invasion into populations...
The endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia pipientis (wMel strain) has been successfully established in several populations of Aedes aegypti, the primary dengue vector. virulent strain wMelPop is known to cause pathological impacts (increased egg mortality, life shortening, etc.) reducing overall fitness mosquito Ae. aegypti. Increased mortality could substantially reduce banks areas with a lengthy monsoonal dry season, and be employed eliminate local populations. We tested this application under...
Wolbachia are maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria found within many insect species. Aedes mosquitoes experimentally infected with being released into the field for Aedes-borne disease control. These infections induce cytoplasmic incompatibility which is used to suppress populations through incompatible matings or replace reproductive advantage provided by this mechanism. However, presence of naturally occurring in target could interfere both population replacement and suppression...
Mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia endosymbionts are being released in many countries for arbovirus control. The wMel strain of blocks Aedes-borne virus transmission and can spread throughout mosquito populations by inducing cytoplasmic incompatibility. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were first into the field Cairns, Australia, over a decade ago, with wider releases have resulted near elimination local dengue transmission. long-term stability effects is critical ongoing disease suppression, requiring...
Endosymbiotic bacteria that live inside the cells of insects are typically only transmitted maternally and can spread by increasing host fitness and/or modifying reproduction in sexual hosts. Transinfections Wolbachia endosymbionts now being used to introduce useful phenotypes into populations, but there has been limited progress on applications using other asexual populations. Here, we develop a unique pathway application aphids transferring endosymbiont Rickettsiella viridis major crop...
Summary Field release of endosymbiotic Wolbachia bacteria into wild Aedes aegypti mosquito populations is a promising strategy for biocontrol dengue. This requires successful invasion through the vector population. Natural variation in fitness due to density‐dependent competition limited food resources may influence invasion. We know little about these effects, largely because our understanding dynamics limited. developed an empirical model A. aegypti–Wolbachia where available developing...
Wolbachia are being used to reduce dengue transmission by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes around the world. To date releases have mostly involved strains with limited fitness effects but larger costs could be suppress mosquito populations. However, such infections expected evolve towards decreased deleterious effects. Here we investigate potential evolutionary changes in wMelPop infection transferred from Drosophila melanogaster more than ten years (~120 generations) ago. We show that most of this...
Background The mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.) is a major vector of viral diseases like dengue fever, Zika and chikungunya. exhibits high morphological behavioral variation, some which thought to be epidemiological significance. Globally distributed domestic Ae. have often been grouped into (i) the very pale variety queenslandensis (ii) type form. Because two color forms co-occur across most their range, there interest in understanding how freely they interbreed. This knowledge particularly...
Invasive, non-indigenous ascidians have been a significant biofouling problem for the aquaculture industry in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island since mid-1990's. The problematic species Atlantic Canada include Styela clava, Ciona intestinalis, Botryllus schlosseri Botrylloides violaceus. Newfoundland harbour surveys that we performed over past three years revealed presence of B. As yet, neither these has reached invasive abundance Newfoundland. Portions COI genes two (Botryllus violaceus)...
With Aedes aegypti mosquitoes now being released in field programmes aimed at disease suppression, there is interest identifying factors influencing the mating and invasion success of mosquitoes. One factor that can increase release size: males may benefit competitively from larger than their counterparts. However, could be a risk releasing only large if small females avoid these instead prefer males. Here we investigate this by evaluating for differing size. We measured indirectly coupling...
Aphids are worldwide pests causing major economic losses to growers. Current management strategies rely heavily on pesticides, but some effective pesticides being withdrawn and the efficiency of remaining is also decreasing as aphids build up resistance. Biological control using predators can provide a sustainable alternative under circumstances, while deliberate introduction facultative bacterial endosymbionts that induce host fitness costs reduce plant virus transmission provides another...
Abstract Background The mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.) is a major vector of viral diseases like dengue fever, Zika and chikungunya. exhibits high morphological behavioral variation, some which thought to be epidemiological significance. Globally distributed domestic Ae. have been traditionally grouped into (i) the very pale variety queenslandensis (ii) type form. Because two color forms co-occur across most their range, there interest in understanding how freely they interbreed. This knowledge...
Abstract Wolbachia are being used to reduce dengue transmission by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes around the world. To date releases have mostly involved strains with limited fitness effects but larger costs could be suppress mosquito populations. However, such infections expected evolve towards decreased deleterious effects. Here we investigate potential evolutionary changes in w MelPop infection transferred from Drosophila melanogaster more than ten years (~120 generations) ago. We show that...
Abstract With Aedes aegypti mosquitoes now being released in field programs aimed at disease suppression, there is interest identifying factors influencing the mating and invasion success of mosquitoes. One factor that can increase release size: males may benefit competitively from larger than their counterparts. However, could be a risk releasing only large if small females avoid these instead prefer males. Here we investigate this by evaluating for differing size. We measured indirectly...
Abstract Wolbachia are maternally-inherited endosymbiotic bacteria found within many insect species. Aedes mosquitoes experimentally infected with being released into the field for Aedes- borne disease control. These infections induce cytoplasmic incompatibility which is used to suppress populations through incompatible matings or replace reproductive advantage provided by this mechanism. However presence of naturally-occurring in target could interfere both population replacement and...