Slide 1

Chasing Arboviruses in Vector Mosquitoes at Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas - Trailing the life-blood of a cemetery - By Benedict Khoo, Jenny Martinez, Dr. Jeffrey Flosi University of Houston - Downtown Scholars Academy SURP 2007 Slide 2 Introduction Species of interest Culex quinquefasciatus (Southern House Mosquito) Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger Mosquito) Arthropod-borne Virus West Nile Virus (WNV); St. Louis Encephalitis (SLE) Transmission: Cold-Chain of Evidence Why are we interested? Purpose 1: Site 1 vs. Site 2 Purpose 2: CDC vs. GRV Purpose 3: Presence of Arboviruses Slide 3 Materials Mosquito Traps 2 Gravitraps (GRV) baited with grass-and-yeast-infused water 2 CDC miniature light traps baited with dry ice (CO 2 ) Other equipment and materials MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday Set Traps (1pm 3pm) (7am 11am) Pick-Up; Process Set Traps (1pm 3pm) (7am 11am) Pick-Up; Process VECTEST (7am 11am) Set-Up of Site Carrying Out VECTEST Procedures Pick-Up of TrapsProcessing Slide 4 Results Total number of mosquitoes 476 mosquitoes in 4 trap nights 7 species, 4 genera represented Predominant species Purpose 1: Site 1 vs. Site 2 Purpose 2: CDC vs. GRV Purpose 3: Arboviruses (negative) Conclusions Regarding Hypothesis n = 169n = 307 n = 58n = 418 Slide 5 Slide 6 Discussion Climatological events affecting capture of adult mosquitoes Flooding and loss of breeding sites near assigned trap locations ~ Future Work