A5063964407- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Malaria Research and Control
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Scientific Computing and Data Management
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
Harvard University
2015-2024
Pennsylvania State University
2021-2024
Selecta Biosciences (United States)
2023-2024
Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy
2022-2023
Many mosquito species, including the major malaria vector Anopheles gambiae , naturally undergo multiple reproductive cycles of blood feeding, egg development and laying in their lifespan. Such complex behavior is regularly overlooked when mosquitoes are experimentally infected with parasites, limiting our ability to accurately describe potential effects on transmission. Here, we examine how Plasmodium falciparum transmission impacted feed an additional time. We measured P . oocyst size...
Increasing global temperatures and unpredictable climatic extremes have contributed to the spread of vector-borne diseases. The mosquito Aedes aegypti is main vector multiple arboviruses that negatively impact human health, mostly in low socioeconomic areas world. Co-circulation co-infection these viruses humans been increasingly reported; however, how vectors contribute this alarming trend remains unclear.
Globalization and climate change have contributed to the simultaneous increase spread of arboviral diseases. Cocirculation several arboviruses in same geographic region provides an impetus study impacts multiple concurrent infections within individual vector mosquito. Here, we describe coinfection superinfection with Mayaro virus (Togaviridae, Alphavirus) Zika (Flaviviridae, Flavivirus) vertebrate mosquito cells, as well Aedes aegypti adult mosquitoes, understand interaction dynamics these...
West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in USA. There are currently no human vaccines or therapies available for WNV, and vector control primary strategy used to WNV transmission. The Culex tarsalis also a competent host insect-specific (ISV) Eilat (EILV). ISVs such as EILV can interact with superinfection exclusion (SIE) against pathogenic viruses their shared mosquito host, altering competence these viruses. ability SIE restriction make potentially safe tool...
Abstract Anopheles coluzzii females, important malaria vectors in Africa, mate only once their lifetime. Mating occurs aerial swarms with a high male-to-female ratio, where traits underlying male mating success are largely unknown. Here, we investigated whether cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) influence natural Burkina Faso. As insecticides widely used this area for control, also determined CHCs affect insecticide resistance levels. We find that mated males have higher CHC abundance than...
Eilat virus (EILV) is an insect-specific alphavirus that has the potential to be developed into a tool combat mosquito-borne pathogens. However, its mosquito host range and transmission routes are not well understood. Here, we fill this gap by investigating EILV's competence tissue tropism in five species: Aedes aegypti, Culex tarsalis, Anopheles gambiae, stephensi, albimanus. Of tested species, C. tarsalis was most competent for EILV. The found ovaries, but no vertical or venereal observed....
Anopheles gambiae and its sibling species coluzzii are the most efficient vectors of malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum . When females these feed on an infected human host, oogenesis development proceed concurrently, but interactions between processes not fully understood. Using multiple natural P isolates from Burkina Faso, we show that in both vectors, impairing steroid hormone signaling to disrupt leads accelerated oocyst growth a manner appears depend mosquito genotype. Consistently,...
Anopheles mosquitoes have transmitted Plasmodium parasites for millions of years, yet it remains unclear whether they suffer fitness costs to infection. Here we report that the fecundity virgin and mated females two important vectors— gambiae stephensi —is not affected by infection with falciparum , demonstrating these human malaria do inflict this reproductive cost on their natural mosquito hosts. Additionally, parasite development is impacted mating status. However, in field studies using...
Abstract The reproductive fitness of the Anopheles gambiae mosquito represents a promising target to prevent malaria transmission. ecdysteroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), transferred from male female during copulation, is key An. success as it licenses females oviposit eggs developed after blood feeding. Here we show that 20E-triggered oviposition in these mosquitoes regulated by stress- and immune-responsive c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). heads mated exhibit transcriptional signature...
Abstract Many mosquito species, including the major malaria vector Anopheles gambiae , naturally undergo multiple reproductive cycles of blood feeding, egg development and laying in their lifespan. Such complex behavior is regularly overlooked when mosquitoes are experimentally infected with parasites, limiting our ability to accurately describe potential effects on transmission. Here, we examine how Plasmodium falciparum transmission impacted feed an additional time. We measured P. oocyst...
ABSTRACT West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in United States. There are currently no human vaccines or therapies available for WNV, and vector control primary strategy used to WNV transmission. The Culex tarsalis also a competent host insect-specific (ISV) Eilat (EILV). ISVs such as EILV can interact with superinfection exclusion (SIE) against pathogenic viruses their shared mosquito host, altering competence these viruses. ability SIE restriction make...
Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) is an insect-specific, single-stranded DNA virus that infects An. sensu stricto (s.s.), the major mosquito species responsible for transmitting malaria parasites throughout sub-Saharan Africa. AgDNV a benign very specific to its host and therefore has potential serve as vector control tool via paratransgenesis (genetic modification of symbionts) limit transmission human pathogens. Prior being engineered into tool, natural dynamics between mosquitoes needs...
Increasing global temperatures and unpredictable climatic extremes have contributed to the spread of vector-borne diseases. The mosquito
ABSTRACT The reproductive fitness of the Anopheles gambiae mosquito represents a promising target to prevent malaria transmission. ecdysteroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), transferred from male female during copulation, is key An. success as it licenses females oviposit eggs developed after blood feeding. Here we show that 20E-triggered oviposition in these mosquitoes regulated by stress- and immune-responsive c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). heads mated exhibit transcriptional signature...
Abstract Anopheles mosquitoes have transmitted Plasmodium parasites for millions of years, yet it remains unclear whether they suffer fitness costs to infection. Here we report that the fecundity virgin and mated females two important vectors— gambiae stephensi —is not affected by infection with falciparum , demonstrating these human malaria do inflict reproductive their natural mosquito hosts. Additionally, parasite development is impacted mating status. However, in field studies using...
Abstract Background Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) is an insect-specific, single-stranded DNA virus that infects An. , the major mosquito species responsible for transmitting malaria parasites throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. AgDNV a benign very specific to its host and therefore has potential serve as vector control tool via paratransgenesis (genetic modification of symbionts) limit transmission human pathogens. Prior being engineered into tool, natural dynamics between mosquitoes needs...
ABSTRACT Eilat virus (EILV) is an insect-specific alphavirus that has the potential to be developed into a tool combat mosquito-borne pathogens. However, its mosquito host range and transmission routes are not well understood. Here we fill this gap by investigating EILV’s competence tissue tropism in five species: Aedes aegypti, Culex tarsalis, Anopheles gambiae, stephensi , albimanus . Of tested species, Cx. tarsalis was most competent for EILV. The found ovaries, but no vertical or...
Abstract Anopheles coluzzii females, important malaria vectors in Africa, mate only once their lifetime. Mating occurs aerial swarms with a high male-to-female ratio, where the traits underlying male mating success are largely unknown. Here, we investigated whether cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) influence natural Burkina Faso. As insecticides widely used this area for control, also determined CHCs affect insecticide resistance levels. We find that mated males have higher CHC abundance than...